Soultech
by Piggy Ho Ho
Summary: A X and CCS cross over (do not need to know story of either to read). A sci-fi adventure involving a nameless fighting machine and his true love...
1. Prologue

S O U L T E C H  
  
Prologue - Laughter filled his ears; his eyes twitched, trying to recall the memory.  
  
Who...are you?  
  
In front of him, an image of a girl slowly appeared. Her hair danced in the sunlight, her white dress flew swiftly. She laughed, and dashed around in front of him. From time to time, she looked at him, yet she wasn't; it was as if she tried to make out what was there, but couldn't tell.  
  
I...want to reach you...  
  
Phase one completed...  
  
Starting to Activate...  
  
Stats: Normal  
  
Level: 1  
  
His heart started to pound, yet for some reason he knew it wasn't supposed to. Voices started to make their way to his ears. "He's doing fine." It was a woman's voice. Another voice interrupted, a man's voice. "Is he waking up?" The woman sounded doubtful. "I can't tell, sir. If all goes well he should be waking up in no time."  
  
Who are they...? I've never heard those voices before...  
  
"Let's just leave him." The man said. "Our work for today is done." Then came footsteps, going further and further away.  
  
Again, the image appeared. The image of that girl.  
  
I want to see you...  
  
His heartbeat quickened, the heart monitor outside went crazy yet no one was there to hear it.  
  
I want to meet you...  
  
Suddenly, his hands became fists. They tightened, and a surge of power began to rush through his chest.  
  
I want to find you...!  
  
The next thing he knew was the sound of glass shattering. His eyes snapped open, and realized he was in some sort of giant lab. He just made his way out of a large tube filled with neon blue liquid, now rushing out the broken glass. He looked around; the lab was amazingly empty. The tube was located in the centre of the lab with wires, big and small, connected from the top of the test tube to the incredibly high ceiling. It was freezing cold, every breath he took created a little puff of steam. He immediately became aware of the low temperature and the fact that he had nothing but a pair of jeans on. He shivered, and rubbed his arm with his hands. Slowly and clumsily, he stood up, as if he hadn't done that in years.  
  
Had he?  
  
He couldn't remember.  
  
It was not long before the alarm went off. The ringing killed him. He had to cover his ears; he thought his head was going to explode.  
  
Instinctively, he dashed towards the door, but the alarm system locked it. It was a metallic electric door; he tried pressing on the keypad a few times but kept getting error messages. He looked around, trying to find another way out, and spotted a narrow and small window across from the door. It was at least ten meters high, but he had to take a chance; if he couldn't jump and reach it, he'd climb the wires around the wall to get to it.  
  
Already he could hear footsteps rushing towards the laboratory. He backed up, and dashed towards the window.  
  
Emergency situation acknowledged...  
  
Sending command...  
  
Selecting Level...  
  
Level 2 activated  
  
Like a panther, he leaped up and reached the window just as the guards came in. Even he himself was amazed by his own strength. He pulled himself up, smashed the window with his bare hand, and jumped outside.  
  
The guards rushed ahead, but it was no use. He was already outside. Besides, they could have never made it all the way up to the window.  
  
The security chief sighed, and tugged his cap. He turned around and noticed the woman that used the key card stood there. He bowed and apologized. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Satsuki, but he's gone."  
  
The woman smiled. Ignoring him she looked at the shattered tube and window. " 'The perfect specimen'. He sure lives up to his expectations."  
  
"What the heck are you talking about?" Yuto Kigai entered, rubbing his hands. It was freezing cold. "We're in deep trouble if we don't find it. And we're going to be in more than trouble if we actually go and try to find it!"  
  
Satsuki Yatouji looked away and said coldly. "I'd prefer it if you don't call 'him' an 'it'."  
  
"What's the big deal, that's what it is, right?"  
  
"He's more than an 'it', he's the most powerful and the most perfect specimen The ACME Corporation has ever created." She smiled. "Not only is he a powerful android, he...also..."  
  
"President Monou is here!" One guard came in, interrupting the two. Then a man in black clothing came in. The two gasped, and waited for him to speak, and most likely, shout at them till they cry.  
  
"I'm sorry, sir. We never knew he would wake up so early." Yatouji spoke apologetically. Kigai pointed at her, and claimed. "Her fault."  
  
But amazingly, the cruel boss didn't shout, just smiled, and it turned into laughter that echoed in the gigantic lab.  
  
--------10101010110101011100001110-------  
  
The boy that escaped walked on bare feet. After getting out of the lab, it wasn't as easy as a walk in the park. Unfortunately, a forest surrounded the lab. Then as he went beyond that, he found himself facing brick walls that were even higher than the window he climbed. Luckily, with his strength, obstacles didn't seem to be a problem.  
  
After walking for countless hours, he finally found civilization. Now he was in some sort of city, downtown.  
  
It was late, and there weren't many people on the street. But when there were, they seemed to stare and point. He felt uncomfortable standing out like that. So he decided to get into camouflage.  
  
Near by, a children's clothing store was closing. A man of forty, short and stubby, was closing the door. Just when he was about to lock it, he noticed a shadow approaching appeared behind him. He was relieved when he turned and found only a homeless kid staring up at him. He wouldn't be so relief if he knew what was going to happen next. All he felt was something hitting the back of his neck, and he fell unconscious.  
  
In ten minutes, the "homeless kid" was wearing a new pair of pants, sneakers, t-shirt, jacket, and a cap to cover his face with. Now he blended right in, he thought.  
  
But where could he go? The people back in the lab will certainly hunt him down. He didn't know where to turn to. He didn't know anybody.  
  
He couldn't remember anybody.  
  
He couldn't even remember who he was.  
  
The image of the girl flashed in his mind again. He suddenly remembered, that was the reason he escaped.  
  
He couldn't remember who she was, but something about her warmed him all over. He made a decision and disappeared into a dark corner.  
  
He was going to find her.  
  
To be continued... 


	2. Chapter 1

S O U L T E C H  
  
- Chapter 1 - Kinomoto Sakura tossed and turned in her bed. She couldn't sleep. It was as if she forgot to do something, something important, like her math assignment. Yet this feeling was different, at the same time, more special. She couldn't figure it out, but she couldn't drop it either.  
  
"You still awake?" Her stepsister opened her door and stepped in. She was in her favourite kitty pyjamas with red checkers. She was holding a pillow. Sakura sat up, and said without enthusiasm. "No Yuzuriha...I keep having this feeling that I forgot something." Yuzuriha bent over and asked. "You math homework?" Sakura shook her head slowly. "No...not that." Yuzuriha sat down beside her. "Than it's probably not important. Maybe it's Touya haunting you again." Sakura giggled. After her first brother went missing at the age of two, their parents felt they needed a child, so they adopted Yuzuriha from the orphan. Three years later, they gave birth to Sakura. They never heard news of Touya, their first born, so he was presumed dead for all these years. Still, Sakura thought. Even if we do find him, we won't recognize him. It's been fifteen years; we'll never know what happened to him now.  
  
"You shouldn't say anything about me." Sakura looked at her sister. "What about you, don't you have a date tomorrow? It's your first date; you should look you best." Yuzuriha's face reddened and sacked her little sister with the pillow. "Don't you dare start! Kamui is a friend! I'm not going out with him." Sakura laughed, and blocked Yuzuriha's attacks. She stopped laughing and said. "But seriously! It's been almost two years since his girl friend died, you don't suppose he's not ready for another girl yet."  
  
"You just shut up." Yuzuriha said. Kamui had been her best friend in the orphan and so had Kotori. Even after Yuzuriha left they still kept contact. The same family adopting Kamui and Kotori when they were five. It was only normal nature that they fell in love. But two years ago on a tragic night, Kotori died in a car accident along with her parents. Being alone again, Kamui fought through the roughest times with Yuzuriha's help. Even Yuzuriha did have a little feeling for him she managed to keep it to herself all these years.  
  
A shadow appeared around the door, the girls looked and laughed. "See, Sakura. You woke Inuki up." Once it noticed that the girls saw it, it wagged its tail cheerfully, and jumped onto the bed with a loud bark. The girls shushed it. "You'll wake mom and dad!" Sakura giggled, picking the little pup up. Yuzuriha petted it, and suddenly wondered. "You know, it's been almost a year since we got this dog and there's no sign of it growing one bit." Sakura snuggled in the dog's fur. "Who cares? I like it the way it is anyway. Nice and cute!"  
  
"What are you gals doing?" Their mother said from the hall. Sakura hurried back to her bed and rushed Inuki and Yuzuriha out. "Oh no! Busted! Come on, get back to your room!" The girls laughed and fell back to bed. Sakura glanced at the moon, and something told her something was out there, under the big bright moon.  
  
0101011011111100110  
  
The boy wandered in the street lifelessly. He knew he had to find the girl in his dream, but how? He didn't have the slightest clue where to begin. People walked past him without paying much attention. He felt helpless and tired. As he left the urban area and enter the residential part of the city, he couldn't help but think everything looked all too familiar. Had he been here before? He couldn't tell. As he proceeded, a park with a penguin-shaped slide caught his attention. There were a few children of his age playing soccer around the field. Beside them were swings, now emptied. The boy thought it made him feel warm, so he went to the swing and sat on it, hoping it can trigger some memories.  
  
It didn't help much. Everything was a blur to him. He swung back and forth weakly, giving his head a rest for a change. The soccer ball rolled over and stopped at the tip of his toe. He looked up, and saw the children looking at him, waving. "Hey, can you pass that?" He didn't answer, but he stood up and kicked the ball anyway. It made a loud bang and flew towards the sky until it disappeared out of their sight. All the children stared at the vanished ball with disbeliefs. Then they turned and stared at the boy, who felt embarrassed for he knew he did something wrong. He didn't like the attention, so he jogged out of the park.  
  
As he walked, he encountered an old man leaning on the wall. The boy hesitated; he looked around a few times, and slowly walked towards the old man. "Are you okay?" He asked. The old man breathed heavily, and answered. "Yes...I'm fine. It's just my old hip kicking in again." He rubbed his hip, and took a deep breath. The boy observed him, and knew he wasn't fine indeed. So he went ahead, and supported the old man to walk. "Where's you house?" The boy asked.  
  
"Oh, it's around that corner." The old man pointed. "But it's okay, I can get to it fine." The boy didn't listen. He walked him back to his house, helping him walk along the way.  
  
When they finally went into the old man's house, the boy sat him down on the sofa, and poured a glass of water for him. "Thank you son." He old man drank the water. "I feel a lot better now."  
  
For the first time, the boy smiled. "That's good." As he began to leave, the old man stopped him. "Wait, sonny. Why don't you stay for a bit longer? I still have to repay you." The boy turned around, and said. "Ah...no need. It was no big deal." The old man stood up, "It sure was a big deal for me." He smiled. "I'm Mr. Masaki. What's your name, sonny?"  
  
The boy lowered his head. "I..." He paused, then sighed. "I don't know."  
  
"What?" Mr. Masaki found it a bit odd. He kept on questioning. "The what about your parents? Your family?" The questions made the boy feel uneasy. He shook his head, and said. "I can't...remember."  
  
Masaki sighed. "I see...do you have a place to live?" The boy shook his head again. Masaki smiled. "Okay. Then why don't you stay here with me for a while? I'll call someone to check for a lost child, and maybe they can find your family."  
  
The boy looked up. "But...I'll cause you much trouble..." Masaki stopped him. "That's okay." He laughed, and went on. "You see, I used to have a great-grandson that looks a bit like you. Well except your eyes are a bit bigger, and your hair is brown." He laughed again. "But who knows, maybe he'd have grown up to be just like you." The boy slowly gazed up. "What happened to him?" He asked. A clue of sadness flashed across the Masaki's face. "He disappeared twelve years ago. We never knew what happened to him. He was presumed dead, but you see, I still believe that he's alive. I think he'll return someday."  
  
The boy lowered his head, and said. "I'm sorry." Masaki patted his shoulder, and said. "Don't be. You know, I'll be very glad if you stay here, at least until we find out something about you." The boy looked at him, and nodded.  
  
"Wonderful!" Masaki clapped. "Now, first we need a name for you...hm..." He looked around for inspirations, and then he saw the magazines on the table. A few issues of the Nation Geographic were opened, and one of them had a shot of a wolf. Masaki took a closer look, and noticed the wolf's hair colour matches the boy's hair colour completely. Delighted, he turned around and said. "How about Wolfe? I know it's an odd name, but what do you think?"  
  
"Wolfe..."The boy echoed. Then he smiled. "That sounds familiar. I like it." "Great! Wolfe it is. And who knows, this could be your real name." He laughed.  
  
1000110001101101010  
  
Yatouji tabbed a few buttons. The screen glowed before her. As the program booted up, it showed a map of Tokyo and a shiny white dot. She moved her hand on the pat, and the pointer moved correspondingly towards the dot. She selected the dot to zoom in, one hundred percent, and then two hundred percent. Her lips curled up to a smile. "Bingo." The door hissed, and she stepped out of her super computer. It was in a form of what seemed to be an alien with wires supporting it from all around. Kigai stepped up to greet her. "So?" he asked eagerly. "Where is he?" "Keep in mind that it's your men that's going after him." She took out her glasses and put them on. "You get the credit, not me." "Come on...it's not like your machine will help much in this situation. My men are the ones that have to get out and grab the kid, you know?" "The 'machine' you referred to has a name." Yatouji took off her glasses. "It's called 'Beast', remember it well." "Whatever, beast master." Kigai teased. "So where on earth is our target?" Yatouji smiled victoriously. "He's in one of the residential area north of Tokyo." She tapped a few buttons on the panel. "I'll send you a copy of the map and his whereabouts to your team."  
  
"Thanks woman!" Kigai waved. "I owe you one." Then he dashed off.  
  
Yatouji leaned back and sighed. "He never does reply me for anything he owes." She played around with the screen. "But seriously...if the outside know that every bits of technology ACME sold is tapped to our main computer, they would be frustrated. From every phone to the greatest security system available on the market, everything that's got the ACME name on it will transfer the information to here..." She sighed again, and closed her eyes. "This is truly amazing. It would be very interesting when the public finds out." "You're not going to tell on me now, are you?" A voice rang behind her. She spun around, and saw her boss there, smiling not so warmly. "Why, Mr. Monou, I was just kidding around." Yatouji said. Fuma Monou stepped forward, and said. "I really don't care if you do announce our corporation's secret, as long as you get me that boy."  
  
"Is he that important to you?" Yatouji asked. "I understand he is the perfect specimen, but is he really worth it? What good does an android do to us? The world is not ready for a half mechanic life yet. How does it benefit us?" Fuma showed smiled coldly. "If it all works out, I can retain something no one can ever buy with money."  
  
1011101101000101110110  
  
He woke up with a start. He wasn't sure what woke him; he just felt something, or someone was coming, coming to get him.  
  
He proceeded downstairs; as he glanced at the clock, it read eleven twenty-two. About an hour ago, Mr. Masaki had told him to rest in his guestroom. He turned his attention back to the living room downstairs. The light startled him; it wasn't the normal light in the living room, but rather a flashlight. He knelt down and crawled down the stairs, hoping the handle can more or less keep him in the hidden. He took a few more steps and finally saw the invaders. They were four men, all dressed in black. The boy gasped, for they all have guns in their hands. They wore masked, and they seemed to be tying something.  
  
Wolfe's heart skipped a beat; they were tying Mr. Masaki down on a chair. They use duct-tape to cover his mouth; he muffled under it. Wolfe's mind raced fast, thinking for possibilities to rescue him. Unless he can take out for men at once, or there was no way out.  
  
As he concentrated, he wasn't aware of another black figure behind him, approaching him slowly and quietly. Wolfe saw him just seconds before the man tried to grab him. He dashed downstairs, but was quickly surrounded by all four men. "That's him." One of them said. The other one tried to knock him unconscious, but Wolfe dodged the attack, and elbowed the guy.  
  
"Quick!" The same man said, he seemed to be the leader. "Use the sterilizer!"  
  
One of the men took out his gun, and aimed at Wolfe. He was about to shot when something behind Wolfe's mind triggered.  
  
Emergency situation acknowledged...  
  
Sending command...  
  
Selecting level...  
  
Level 2 activated.  
  
Wolfe ducked without even thinking. The sterilize needle hit the door behind him. The men were shocked by his speed. Before they had time to think, the boy was in front of them. Wolfe knocked them over with a few punches, and rushed over to Mr. Masaki. "Are you okay?" He tore off the duct-tape and helped him untie the ropes. Mr. Masaki looked up, and said. "Watch out!"  
  
Wolfe spun, but he was too late. The man was on him, choking him from behind. Wolfe struggled, and elbowed the man as hard as he could. Mr. Masaki untied the rest of the ropes, and said. "Go! They want you, not me! They won't do anything to me, just go!"  
  
Wolfe nodded, and dashed towards the door. But something caught him, like a bug caught in a spider-web. He turned and noticed the glowing red dots on the wall. He then noticed they were small devices that shot out the wires. The black men had planted them there; it was a trap!  
  
The small device hissed, and launched themselves from the wall, spinning around Wolfe. With in a few loops, he was tied down. He hit the floor hard and struggled, but the harder he fought, the tighter the wires became. The black men walked towards him slowly, and knelt down beside him. "Finally." One of them said. "Let's bring this thing down." He reached into his pocket, and took out a small device that looks like a shocker.  
  
Wolfe struggled harder, then once again, something behind his mind triggered.  
  
Emergency situation acknowledged...  
  
Sending command...  
  
Selecting level...  
  
Level 3 activated.  
  
The last thing he remembered was snapping the wire and heading straight towards the black man.  
  
101011010010101101010111011010  
  
As he came to, blood was dripping from his face. One of the black men whimpered in front of him. He was shaking helplessly, and had backed himself up to the corner of the room. "Please..." He begged. "Please don't kill me..."  
  
"What...?" Wolfe started, but then was taken buy the scenery around him. Blood was everywhere. The dark men now laid all over the floor; their dark clothing stained with blood. Wolfe couldn't tell whether or not they were still alive. He looked down at his hands. They, too, were stained with blood. Then he looked at the man before him, shaking and begging for mercy.  
  
Did I....  
  
Did I do this...?  
  
"Mr. Masaki!" He turned to see the old man, shivering as he leaned on to the doorframe. "Are you okay?" Wolfe turned to see him, but Mr. Masaki halted him to a stop. "No! Don't come closer...you...monster..." He said with a shaky voice. "Go away...go away!"  
  
Monster...? Me?  
  
Wolfe looked down at his bloody hands, then looked back at Mr. Masaki. He closed his eyes, and made his hand into a fist. Suddenly, he stepped up, and took a bawl. "I'm so sorry!" With those words, he dashed out of the house.  
  
11001110110010000011011111110101001  
  
Back in the penguin park, the boy washed his face in the water fountain. The water got most of the bloodstain out because they were fresh. But the smell remained. It disgusted him. He scrubbed, harder and harder. Then he finally gave up, and took home near a tree.  
  
He felt ashamed. Ashamed for what he did and ashamed for what he is. "Wolfe"...he didn't live up to that name Mr. Masaki gave him. He was not a warrior who protected his love, but rather a beast that harmed the innocent. Once again, he decided, he'd be nameless.  
  
The image of the girl's smile flashed in his mind again. But this time he wasn't all that glad to see it. If he were a monster that stained his hand with blood, then how could he see her? How could he put her life in danger? What if...these hands...hurt her too?  
  
He buried his head into his arms. Till he found out the reason he lost control, he wasn't going to see that girl.  
  
And who were the people that were after him?  
  
He thought hard, trying to retrace his memories. He saw something familiar back there...but what? His mind raced through the men's faces, actions, weapons, uniforms...  
  
Uniforms.  
  
He rolled up his sleeves. There it was, a fresh tattoo. It was a logo of some sort; he tried to make out the letters. A...C...  
  
ACME.  
  
Acme, the woman back in the lab mentioned the name several times during his sleep. So those men back there...they were after him, they were trying to get him back to the lab. He didn't understand. Was he that important? What is he anyway?  
  
His strength gave in. He closed his eyes, and slept uneasily.  
  
10011011010111101010101010  
  
Sakura twitched in her sleep. She got up lazily and closed her eyes under the bright sunlight. She heard noises downstairs, so she hurried down and found her parents all dressed up ready to leave. "Hoe~?" She exclaimed. "Where are you two going on a Sunday morning?"  
  
Sakura's father Fujitaka slipped on his black leather shoes and replied. "It's an emergency we have to go to."  
  
"What's the matter?" Sakura asked with concern. Sakura's mother Nadeshiko answered uneasily. "Your great-grandpa...something happened to him."  
  
Sakura gasped. "Is he okay?" Nadeshiko nodded. "He's fine. But he's still in quite a bit of shock."  
  
"What happened?" Sakura asked. Fujitaka took a deep breath, and said. "Well, we don't know for sure. All we know is some people broke into his house last night, and someone was with your great- grandfather. I'm not sure whether it's lucky or not, but the person your great-grandfather was with practically slaughtered the invaders. Your great-grandfather was freaked out."  
  
Sakura gasped, unable to speak. Nadeshiko patted her daughter on the shoulder.  
  
"Was...someone killed?" Sakura asked hesitantly once she gained back her voice. Nadeshiko replied softly. "No, as far as we know. The invaders were hurt badly, some of them are in bad conditions but no one was killed." She lowered her gaze. "But we heard there is blood everywhere, so I was hoping you wouldn't go."  
  
Sakura nodded. "I understand." Her mother gave her a peck on the cheek then they went out.  
  
Shaking her head, Sakura decided to put that terrible image behind her for a while. She was going to tell her sister the bad news when she remembered Yuzuriha was already out to meet Kamui. She made eggs for breakfast. As she put the plates of steaming eggs on the table Inuki came skipping in, attracted by the smell. Sakura smiled; she cut a little piece of egg and tossed it to the puppy. It caught the food in the air. Then Sakura remembered Inuki hadn't been out for almost a week. She picked up the dog, and said. "Today's your lucky day! I'm bringing you out for a walk!"  
  
After tying the leash, Inuki flew out of the door with Sakura close behind it. "Slow down!" Sakura yelled from behind.  
  
Within minutes, they were in the penguin park, following their normal routine for Inuki's walk. Inuki sniffed under the slide, and ran across the sand box. Sakura sighed. The little pup looked so happy and free of worries. She almost envied it for that. She, on the other case, couldn't get her mind off her great-grandpa's business. She hoped he was all right.  
  
She looked around, make sure nobody was in the park, and then unhook the dog leash. "Run around a little." She told Inuki. The happy pup barked loudly in reply and ran around sniffing poles and trees.  
  
Then suddenly, its ears perked up, and it looked around with alert. Sakura noticed its movement, and walked towards it. "What's wrong?" Then it started sniffing the ground, and barked happily. It dashed towards the bushes, and disappeared behind it. "Hey!" Sakura yelled, running after it.  
  
As she pushed the bushes apart and arrived in the area behind them, she gasped. Behind the bushes were not only Inuki, but also a boy of her age. He slept peacefully, and breathed steadily. His charm almost made him shine under the tree's shadow and the semi-sunlight. Unaware, she blushed, and studied the boy. Slowly, she knelt down, but Inuki was ahead of her. It rushed up to his face and started licking. "Inuki~!" Sakura whined. The boy woke up with a start, and jumped back almost immediately. But as his eyes focused, he was shocked to see her face.  
  
It's...her!  
  
Sakura got up, and bawled. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to wake you!" The she noticed his gaze. The amber hair matched the burning amber eyes. They were warm, and sad at the same time. He breathed heavily, and his face began to burn. For a moment, their eyes locked. Inuki barked happily and jumped at the boy, but neither of the paid attention to the puppy.  
  
Slowly, Sakura reached out her hand. "Are you...okay?"  
  
Like nightmares, the incident last night flood back to his memory, and he backed up. "Don't...come closer."  
  
"What?" Sakura couldn't hear him properly. He shook his head, and yelled. "Stay away!" With that, he dashed out of the park, Inuki closed behind him. "Wait!" Sakura yelled. "Come back! No, don't go! Come back!" Then she added. "Both of you!"  
  
110101010101010101010101100110  
  
He ran until he lost sight of her. Leaning on a tree, he panted for a minute. He almost had a heart attack when a creature jumped at his feet. He spun around, and saw the little puppy had follow him. "Go back to your owner." The boy pointed to the direction he came from and ordered. "Get out of here!" But Inuki tilted its head, and wagged its tail happily. The boy picked it up, and said. "Which part of 'go' don't you understand?" The dog took the chance to lick his face. Wolfe wiped the drool off his face with his sleeve, and put the dog back down. "Oh I give up."  
  
He walked around town with the puppy close behind him.  
  
10011101111101010101010000000001  
  
"How're you lately?" Yuzuriha asked, as she sipped the fruit punch from her glass. She met up with Kamui in the central square of downtown and now they were talking in a coffee shop. Yuzuriha dressed up extra nice for the "casual get-together" today. She hoped Kamui would notice; yet at the same time she hoped he didn't. She wanted Kamui to see her as more than a friend, but she didn't want Kamui to know she had feelings for him. Even with Kotori now dead after two years, she still felt she was cheating on her best friend for even having these feelings. She rubbed her arms uneasily.  
  
"Good." Kamui replied, taking a sip of his black coffee. He put it back down with a "cling". "I'm old enough to support myself with my job. I'm doing fine in school, too. It's hard to keep up with both things, but I learned to handle it."  
  
"If you ever need anything..." Yuzuriha began. Kamui interrupted her. "I'll call you, I know, I know. But I swore to myself I won't rely on your family anymore. I caused you enough trouble when Kotori died two years ago. I lived there for almost half a year for Christ's sake. Don't worry, I can handle things myself."  
  
Yuzuriha's gaze softened. "Okay, but don't stress yourself." Kamui smiled in return. "Thanks, you're a great friend."  
  
Yuzuriha squeezed her hands. "Friend", that was all she was, a friend. "But..." She said. "You're more than a friend to me, Kamui, much more." Kamui looked at her with curiosity. It took her a moment to realize what she said. "What...what I mean is..." she tried to back- up. Her face was burning up. "You're like a family to me!" Her heart raced, hoping Kamui didn't get the wrong idea. "Right!" Kamui said, scratching his head. "Of course! I mean...you're like a family to me, too, Yuzuriha."  
  
"Uh..." Yuzuriha nodded. She felt terrible. She looked out the window, and something caught her eyes. "Hey, is that Inuki?" Kamui followed her view. "...No, I don't think so. That dog is following a boy. I think it belongs to him. Must be a different dog."  
  
"But..." Just when she was going to argue about that, she saw something else.  
  
Men, wearing the same long jacket and hat, looking most unusual for a warm day like this. There were at least three of them; all follow the boy and Inuki at a fairly close distant. "What...are they?" Yuzuriha said. Kamui looked at her, and said. "You think we should tell someone?" Yuzuriha looked back. "But for what? They hadn't done anything."  
  
"Yet." Kamui added. "But look at them. You know, the police do have the right to arrest any suspicious looking..." Gunfire interrupted his sentence. Instinctively, he leaped towards Yuzuriha, and pulled her down to the floor. "Duck!" He dropped on top of her and covered her body just in time when the window shattered into millions pieces of glass. They got up as the sound of gunshot stopped.  
  
"Are you okay?" Yuzuriha asked. Kamui held up his bloody elbow. "Just a little scratch from the glass." Yuzuriha rushed up towards him, and used her handkerchief to wipe the blood around the wound. "We'll need to get this treated right away!"  
  
"Don't mind me!" Kamui said, gesturing outside. "The boy!"  
  
"Those men!" Yuzuriha stood up and looked out site. "They're all gone!"  
  
110110000000100111101111  
  
Running further and further away from the crowd, the boy looked back at the men who were chasing him. He noticed them way back when he left the park. He tried the lure them away from the busy streets but they got suspicious and started firing. Now running with Inuki close behind him, he knew he was in deep trouble unless he thought of something fast.  
  
He turned into a small alley between two tall buildings. The men made a signal, and one of the rounded to the other side of the building. They hoped they could make a pinch attack. They stopped right around the corner, and edged towards the wall. Then they turned into the alley holding the guns up. But all they saw were their own men right in front of them doing the same thing.  
  
"Blast!" One of them cursed. "Did we loose him?" They heading out of the alley and started searching, putting their guns back into their pockets in the jacket. "Hurry up, or we'll have to ask Yatouji for the signal again."  
  
Inside the alley, the boy stood on the staircase for fire escapes. He had jumped up there as soon as he entered the alley. In his arms, he held the little puppy, cupping his hand over its mouth. He thought of just leaving the dog down there, but it might bark at him and give him away. What he didn't understand was how did the men find him? It seemed no matter where he went those people could always somehow knew his whereabouts.  
  
He thought hard, covering his face and letting the dog go. He remembered what the man said back there, something about signal. Was he bugged? But where?  
  
Suddenly, he remembered the logo on the men's clothing. ACME. Hastily, he rolled up his sleeves, and looked down at his left arm. He knew it. There, he was tattooed with the same logo. It was only the size of his thumbnail, but as he looked closer, he saw it was to cover some sort of stitching underneath.  
  
He knew what to do now.  
  
001110111001110011010111  
  
"He should still be here!" The men said as they returned to the alley. "The radar on Yatouji's computer said he'd be here! Right here!" They looked around, but the didn't see anyone. One of them saw something on the dirty ground, and murmured. "Oh no..."  
  
The boy was gone. The dog was gone. What was left was a piece of bloody tracer on the ground.  
  
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The siren of ambulances and police cars echoed in the busy streets. One of the paramedics helped Kamui bondage his injured elbow. Yuzuriha stayed aside and watched with concern. She was relieved to hear that it wasn't too bad, and he didn't have to go to the hospital for it.  
  
"Yuzuriha!" A voice yelled from behind. Yuzuriha turned, and saw Sakura running towards her. "Sakura!?" She yelled as they met up. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Inuki...he's gone. I was trying to find him when I hear all the ambulances and police cars heading this way. I came to see what was wrong." She saw Kamui's wound. "Oh my! Are you okay?"  
  
"Just a scratch. No big deal. But you said...Inuki was lost?"  
  
"Yes. He ran away with this boy in the park." Sakura replied. She looked around, and still found neither the puppy nor the boy. Kamui turned to Yuzuriha. "So that was Inuki." Yuzuriha nodded. Sakura looked at them, confused. "What? What did you two see?" So they explained.  
  
Sakura remembered the way the boy waking up. First she thought he was almost glad that she was there. Then his joy turned to worry and he fled away from her. Stay away! The words still rang in her ears. She looked around; that was why he ran away. He didn't want her to be around while he was being hunted down by...whoever they were.  
  
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"Shoo!" The boy waved. "Go!"  
  
He was back to the outside of the coffee shop. After he practically torn out his flesh to get the tracer out, his arm was bleeding non-stop. He hoped the blood trail wouldn't give him away. He tried all he could to stop the blood, but nothing worked. With his right hand covering the wound, he could more or less keep the blood from dropping. He wanted to go back to the park, the only place he felt attached to. But as soon as he saw Sakura, he knew he had to give back the puppy. He hid behind a bush, and gestured the puppy to run along. Yet for some reason, the puppy wouldn't go. He pushed the puppy out of the bush, but it always came back, wagging its tail.  
  
The boy was getting impatient. He gave the dog a hard shove, pushing the puppy more or less two meters away. Sakura and Yuzuriha finally saw the puppy. "Inuki!" They yelled together.  
  
But Inuki didn't even hear them. It skipped right back to the boy behind the bushes. The boy realized the girls saw the dog already, if the dog was to follow him it'd lead them to him for sure. "Bad dog!" He said, and ran away. Inuki followed.  
  
Sakura caught the shadow of the boy, and yelled. "It's that boy!" She ran after them, and the others followed.  
  
They chased the dog all the way to a small piece of wood at the northern side of the city. Sakura was tired of running, and so was Yuzuriha. They didn't remember the last time they ran for so long. "Sis! We'll have a pinch attack! You go that way! And I'll to this way!" Yuzuriha nodded, too tired to talk, they took separate ways.  
  
As the advanced deeper into the woods, there were no trails anymore, just trees and grasses. "Now!" Sakura yelled, and Yuzuriha turned in. They missed the boy just by two seconds, and hit on each other instead. "Ow!" They yelled in union. Then something furry hit them. This they weren't going to let go. "Gotcha!" They yelled as they held Inuki captive in their hands. The puppy was scared at first, but as soon as it recognized its owner, it was licking time.  
  
"The boy!" Sakura looked off to the direction the boy dashed off to. Suddenly, Kamui caught up to them, and jumped over their heads. "I'll get him! You two stay here!"  
  
Halfway into the woods, Kamui lost sight of him. He stopped and panted for a moment, then started to look around. Slowly, he brushed pass branches and stepped over weeds, trying to listen. Then he heard it, to the left, someone was breathing heavily. Cautiously, he proceeded ahead.  
  
He found the boy, leaning against a big tree trunk. He looked like he was in pain. As Kamui walked closer, he saw the boy was clenching to his shoulder. It was blooding badly. The race must had got his heart to pound and his blood to circulate; he was loosing blood at a very fast rate.  
  
"You need help!" Kamui stepped up. The boy was startled; he took a step back, Kamui yelled to keep him from going further. "No, stop! It's okay." His voice softened. "I won't hurt you."  
  
The boy looked deep into his eyes. Afraid and confused, he didn't know what to do for a moment. Kamui slowly stretched out his hand, and the boy backed away from it. "It's okay." He said, looking deep into the boy's ember eyes. "I'm not going to do anything to you. But you're wounded. You need to see a paramedic. We'll go to the hospital."  
  
Hospital. Images of the doctors back in the lab flashed through his mind like nightmares. He shook his head. "No! I'm not going there!" Kamui looked confused. "Why not?"  
  
"They...they're there...I know it!" He took another step back. Kamui had the feeling he was going to run again, so he calmed him. "Okay! It's okay. We won't go to the hospital. We'll...go to some place so we can patch up that wound of yours. Okay? Sounds good?" He took a step closer. The boy looked up. His eyes were calmed now. Kamui walked closer, and patted his shoulder. "That's a good boy."  
  
Suddenly, the boy felt relax. He sighed, and passed out. Kamui ran up and caught him in his arms. He looked at the boy's innocent face, and frowned with pity.  
  
The girls waited impatiently outside the wood. They both turned to the noise as Kamui stepped out with the mysterious boy in his arms. The girls ran up, and gasped at the sight of blood along his arm. Kamui explained. "I think it was from the bullets, but I'm not sure. I already wrapped something around it to stop bleeding, but we'll need to treat it again properly."  
  
"Then we need to get him to a doctor..." Yuzuriha began, but he interrupted. "He said he wouldn't go to the hospital. He said 'they', whoever that are hunting him down, would be there. And I suspect they would, too."  
  
"What should we do?" Sakura said. Her eyes never left the boy. Kamui shrugged. "I suppose we need to bring him back to somewhere to rest and treat that wound."  
  
"We'll take him back to our house." Yuzuriha said without second thoughts.  
  
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"You really don't need to come." Mr. Masaki said to Fujitaka. "I'm quite alright, just a bit scared."  
  
"Don't worry about it." Fujitaka said. "About...that boy...who do you think he is?"  
  
"I don't know for sure. He helped me out, so I brought him back to my house. Then he told me he lost his memories and had no place to turn to, so I offered him to stay here for a bit." He paused and sighed. "That poor boy, couldn't even remember his own name. Then at night, when the men broke in, he almost beaten them to death! It was like he lost control!"  
  
"You really shouldn't bring a stranger in the house, grandpa." Nadeshiko protested.  
  
"I know..." Mr. Masaki rubbed his head. "But that boy seemed so...innocent."  
  
"You can't judge people by their looks."  
  
"I know, I know. Still, come to think of it...he was really innocent. He did protect me from those intruders after all, and at some level...I guess...he was a good person." He sighed again; tears filled his eyes. "Oh, how much I regret letting him go. He must be helplessly alone out there. And by the look I gave him, I doubt he'd return. He must have felt guilty about it."  
  
"Well, we can't do a thing about it now." Nadeshiko said. She glanced at her watch, and said to Fujitaka. "We better go." She turned to Mr. Masaki. "Now, if you need anything, just call us, okay?"  
  
01110101001111101010100001110  
  
Kamui placed the boy on Sakura's bed and treated his wound. Throughout the process, the boy was asleep; he didn't even budged. "He must be exhausted." She brushed his hair. "The poor thing..."  
  
"We can ask more questions after he wakes up." Yuzuriha said. "But the big question is, how are we going to explain this to mom and dad?" All three fell silent, and thought deeply.  
  
It was not long before the sound of keys jingled by the door. They all rushed down to greet Nadeshiko and Fujitaka. Right away, the parents felt suspicious about the abnormally warm welcome. With no other options left, the kids told them whole truth.  
  
Nadeshiko was frustrated. She told them how they shouldn't trust a stranger and what happened to grandpa when he did the same. Fujitaka on the other hand, walked upstairs to Sakura's room to see the mysterious boy. Sakura led the way, and turned on the desk light. Fujitaka gasped at the sight of the boy. "That...child..."  
  
Fujitaka stared silently at the innocent child for a moment. Sakura walked up to him and asked. "Do you know him, dad?"  
  
"Huh?" He snapped back to reality. "Uh...no, not really."  
  
Sakura thought the reply was questionable, but she didn't push on it. Instead, she asked. "Can...can he stay, dad? You know, just till he heals?" Fujitaka patted on her shoulder and said. "It was a good deed that you brought him back. It was the right thing to do. I'm sure we can let him stay at least until he heals." Sakura face lid up, and went by the bed to sit beside the boy. Fujitaka smiled, and left the two alone.  
  
"What are you doing?" Nadeshiko asked. "Haven't you learn anything from my grandfather's incident?"  
  
"Honey, I can explain." He looked around, drew her close, and whispered in her ears. She frowned as he went on, then when he was finally finished. She gasped and covered her mouth.  
  
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He was walking in darkness, surrounded by damped fog. Where am I? He walked on, and saw something in front of him. It was the puppy he saw today. The one that kept following him; at least he thought it was. The puppy was running away from him. "Wait!" He yelled. "Wait for me!" He followed the dog.  
  
Then suddenly, the ground was getting wet. Puddles appeared, and it began to rain. But the darkness still won't go away. He kept following the dog, and then finally caught up to him. "Gotcha!" He scooped it up. Suddenly, with a blasting sound, two bright lights appeared. The boy turned to see a car heading towards him.  
  
He shut his eyes and held on to the puppy. Then everything was quiet. He opened his eyes slowly, and saw the car was gone, and so was the puppy. He felt sleepy, and his eyes could only open halfway. Through his blurry vision, she appeared again. The emerald eyes sparked and her laughter rang. He tried to reach her, but he had no strength to. It seemed that he could barely keep his eyes open.  
  
Then he shut his eyes, and opened them again. This time, the girl's image was a lot clearer. She was sleeping peacefully. He blinked a few times, and realized he had been dreaming. So, was this a dream, too?  
  
Slowly, her eyes opened, too. She looked at him with her dreamy eyes; then they awakened, and she almost jumped. "Oh good! You're up! I was so worried!"  
  
He blushed furiously, and was unable to find words to say for a moment. "Ah...um...er..." He got up and backed up a little.  
  
"You probably don't remember me. But we met in the park. My name is Sakura. What's yours?" Sakura pushed forwards. The boy felt even more awkward. "I...um..."  
  
"So you're awake." Someone said at the door. They turned and saw Sakura's father at the door. "Sakura, he still needs rest, why don't you leave him alone. You can sleep in Yuzuriha's room with her tonight and ask the young man some more questions tomorrow." He insisted.  
  
"Okay..." Sakura nodded obediently. She took one final glance at the mysterious boy and ran out.  
  
"I'm Sakura's father, you can all me Mr. Kinomoto." Fujitaka said, sitting on the bed. "I'm sorry, but my daughter's a bit pushy."  
  
The boy felt more comfortable, and replied with a simple nod and a blush. Fujitaka laughed, and patted his shoulder. "That's alright. She's a nice girl." The boy lowered his head, and said in a voice so quiet that it was almost like a whisper. "I know." Fujitaka looked down, trying to catch his eyes. "Now. Can you remember your name?" The boy shook his head.  
  
"But what about afterwards? What did people call you?"  
  
The boy shifted uneasily. "Back in the lab...I think they called me 'the specimen'. Then...an old man named me...Wolfe."  
  
" 'Wolfe'?" Fujitaka said, rather startled. The boy nodded again.  
  
"Okay." Fujitaka said, smiling again. "But you know...Wolfe is a last name." The boy looked up, rather curious. "Yes." Fujitaka reassured. "So...let's pick something else. Let's see, how about something close, like 'Syaoran'?"  
  
The boy's head snapped up, as if to react to the sound of a bell. Fujitaka gave a little laugh. "You see, I'm a language teacher. Syaoran means 'little wolf' in Chinese. Why, do you not like it?" The boy shook his head again. "No...I like it. It sounds familiar." He hesitated, and then added. "As if...it is my real name."  
  
Fujitaka smiled warmly, and said. "It is."  
  
The boy looked up sharply again, dazed. What did he mean?  
  
The man gave no answer, just another pat on the shoulder. "Anyway, so the name thing is done. We'll think more tomorrow. Why don't you get some rest?" He got up and left the room, leaving the confused boy in the room.  
  
Syaoran...he let it sank in, and then repeated it a few times in his head. He had some many questions, so many things to ask, but he didn't stop Fujitaka from leaving. He knew he had time. It could wait, and soon, he'd get all his answers. He lied down, and drifted into sleep. 


	3. Chapter 2

S O U L T E C H  
  
- Chapter 2 - For the first time in what seemed like a century, Syaoran had a good night of sleep. He woke up to the beam of sunlight that shone into his eyes. His blinked a few times and couldn't remember where he was at first. Then his memories kicked back, and he knew he was in the home of that girl...what was her name?  
  
Sakura...  
  
He got up; rubbing his eyes, he looked around. Stuffed bears were piled up in a corner; the soft peach colour carpet seemed to glow under the sunlight. It was a small but cozy room with a desk, a bed, and two closets. It suddenly occurred to him that he could be in her room, in her bed. The idea made him turn red. He almost jumped to the sound of the door opening.  
  
It was a woman with long and curly hair. She smiled warmly, and was holding a small pile of clothes. "Good morning, did you have a good night of sleep?" Syaoran blushed, and nodded awkwardly. She walked closer to the bed. "Good. I'm Mrs. Kinomoto, Mr. Kinomoto's wife." Syaoran nodded to her introduction. "My husband has told me about you." She said. "Do feel free to treat this like your own home. We are all happy that you are staying. But first, why don't you take a shower? I've got fresh clothes here you can change into. They're Kamui's old clothes, I hope they fit." She smiled again. "Let me show you to the bathroom where you can refresh."  
  
So she did. Before she left the bathroom to let Syaoran help himself to clean, she made sure he still remembered how to work a water knob. Once she was gone, Syaoran slipped out of his filthy clothes, and stepped into the shower.  
  
When he came out, all fresh and new, he was wearing a blue tie-dye T- shirt with a picture of Pochacco on it, and a pair of dark green trousers.  
  
He proceeded downstairs to the living room and found Mr. Kinomoto already in there. "Oh good, you're awake. Come." He stood up from the sofa and led Syaoran in. Mr. Kinomoto was already in the room along with a teenage girl with short black hair. Mr. Kinomoto began to introduce them. "I believe you've already met my wife Nadeshiko Kinomoto. And this is Yuzuriha, our oldest daughter. Now..." He looked around, and asked. "Where're Sakura and Kamui?"  
  
"They're out side in the yard." Yuzuriha said. She took Syaoran by the hand, and led him into the kitchen. "Dad's such a bad host, let me show you to where it really matters! The food~!"  
  
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Sakura sat on a bench they had in the yard and listen to the birds sang. Her mother was a garden person, so the garden was nicely trimmed and filled with flowers and plants of all kinds. It was not long before Kamui came to her. "Hey, that boy's up." She turned around, and replied with no effort. "Yeah?" Kamui tilted his head, and said. "What're you thinking about?"  
  
She took a deep breath, and said. "Kamui, have you ever have this kind of feeling where you see a person for the first time and you feel that you know him but you've actually never met before?"  
  
"Is that how you feel about Syaoran?"  
  
"Syaoran?" She turned around and stared with a confused expression.  
  
Kamui made a gesture towards the house. "Mr. Kinomoto gave him that name. Syaoran. It's supposed to mean little wolf."  
  
She giggled. "That's cute."  
  
"Well?" Kamui asked again. "Do you feel that way about him?"  
  
Sakura turned her attention back to the birds, and closed her eyes. "I don't know...I feel that I've seen him before, but not directly..."  
  
"What the heck are you saying now?"  
  
"It was as if...as if I've been near him, I could feel his existence, not necessarily see him."  
  
"I don't understand." Kamui sighed. Sakura shook her head. "I don't either. But..." Just when she was going to continue, she heard noises from the side. They both turned and see Syaoran came out of the house and into the yard. "Ah..." He looked at them, and said. "Yuzuriha...she told you two to come in to have breakfast."  
  
Kamui walked up to him, and said. "Are you okay? Does your arm still hurt?" He stoke Syaoran's left arm. Syaoran shook his head. "It itches a little, but it doesn't hurt as much anymore." He looked up, and said. "You're...Kamui, right?"  
  
Kamui smiled, and nodded. "Right." He turned and saw Sakura still on the bench; she hadn't stopped looking at Syaoran the moment he entered. He grinned, and headed into the house.  
  
When Syaoran was left alone in the garden with Sakura, he felt uneasy. He didn't understand why did he have those feelings, but they were there when ever he saw her. She tilted her head and smiled gently. "Hi." The only respond Syaoran able to give was "ah" and a slight nod. She leaned forward. "I heard my father named you. You're now Syaoran, right?"  
  
Another nod.  
  
"I like it." Her voice sounded cheerful.  
  
Syaoran met her gaze, and turned his eyes elsewhere with a red face. Then he started to listen to the tones of the birds. He walked up to her, and then he asked. "Can I sit?" She nodded. He sat down beside her, maybe further than necessary. They faced the opposite direction and started to listen to the chirping of the birds silently.  
  
Minutes later, Syaoran spoke. "This sound. It's familiar." Sakura was slightly surprised; she quickly turned around and asked. "Are you remembering anything?" He looked at her and shook his head. "Not really. Everything just seems familiar to me, but I couldn't recall them from my head. It's driving me insane!" He dug his hand into his hair. Sakura was afraid that she might had upset him, thus she tried to sooth him. "It's okay!" She reached out and held his hand. "It'll be fine. We'll do it slowly."  
  
He turned to stare straight into those emerald eyes. He blushed, and turned away. He felt warm and comfortable. He hadn't felt this way in a long time or...as far as he could recall. "Thanks." He said. Sakura smiled. "We'll do it together." She tightened the grip on his hand. "We'll have your memories back, I promise." Syaoran just nodded.  
  
Everything was quiet for a moment, until Syaoran's stomach rudely interrupted with a loud rumble. His face turned to the colour of an apple as he lowered his head with embarrassment. Sakura giggled happily. "Let's go in and have some food first, okay?" Still holding on to his hand, she led him back into the house.  
  
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"Going out?" Yuzuriha almost jumped up when she heard Sakura's suggestion. Sakura swallowed the mouthful of coffee. "I thought he might find something he recognizes if he goes out..." She said, sounding less confident. Yuzuriha's expression turned worrisome. "But what about those men that are after him? It's much too dangerous to go out now."  
  
Sakura sank back into the sofa. She looked at Syaoran for support, but he had his head lowered, probably felt ashamed for causing trouble around the house.  
  
Kamui caught the look on his face, and calmed Yuzuriha down. "Take it easy, Yuzuriha. It might not be that bad. What I'm saying is he can't stay here all day. He wants to find out more about his past, it's perfectly normal." Syaoran gave him a thankful glance. Fujitaka walked in and said. "I think this might not be too bad of an idea." Everyone's focuses were on him. He went on. "I think Sakura and Syaoran should go out to find out more about himself."  
  
"But dad..." Yuzuriha began to protest, but Fujitaka shushed her. "It won't hurt. I don't think the chasers expect to find him out in the open anyway." Yuzuriha gave up her case, and Sakura cheered. "Thank you dad!" She got up and gave him a hug. Then she went over to take Syaoran by the hands. "Come on, Syaoran. We're going out."  
  
Once Sakura and Syaoran were out of the room to prepare for the trip, Kamui announced. "We're not going to sit on our butts either. Yuzuriha, why don't we two go on the internet and see what we can find out about Syaoran?" Yuzuriha nodded. "Right."  
  
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Sakura and Syaoran stepped out of their block. Syaoran was now wearing a white jacket. Sakura caught up to him, and asked. "So, got any idea on where should we start?" Syaoran looked from left to right. Then he closed his eyes, and concentrated. He opened them again, and turned to her. "The park, that park with the huge penguin slide. That's the only place where I feel attach to." Sakura smiled. "Great, we'll start there." She grabbed his hand and led him to the park. His heart almost skipped a beat. He looked at her admirably and followed in silence.  
  
The arrived at the Penguin Park, and Syaoran looked around. The slide, the bench, the water fountain, and last but not least, the swings. He went over there and held on the swing's chain. It raddled as he went into deep thoughts. Sakura didn't say anything; she wanted him to take it slow, grabbing every clue possible. Then after a moment, she lost her patient to her excitement, and asked. "So...you feel anything?"  
  
Syaoran open his eyes, the ember eyes sparked in the sun. "I've been here before, that's for sure, not just once either. It's like I used to come here very often." He turned, and headed towards the exit; then he stopped in front of it. He saw tire marks on the road just outside. Images flashed in his mind: rainy day, and the puppy. He crouched down and put his hand over his head. Sakura got nervous, and knelt beside him. "Are you okay?" She put her hands around his shoulder, and he held on to it. "Let's get out of here. This place seemed to be bringing back some bad memories. Memories I preferred to keep locked up." Sakura nodded and helped him up.  
  
For the next few minutes, they walked in silent. Sakura didn't know about Syaoran, but she sure felt uncomfortable. She took a glace at Syaoran's direction and saw the same old worried and troubled look. She tried hard to think of something more or less intelligent to say, attempting to cheer him up. Her prayer was answered when she saw the amusement park two blocks down.  
  
Sakura tugged Syaoran's shirt, and said. "Let's call it a day. Why don't we have some fun from now on?" She said, trying to grin. Then she pointed. "Let's go there and play!" Syaoran looked up and gave her a quizzing look. Sakura suddenly felt embarrassed. "I mean...I know it doesn't hold any clue to your past...and we are in the middle of something very important..." Realizing that she was making it sound more negative than she intended, she shook her head and started again. "I mean! You should just play sometimes you know?" She shot him a serious glance. Syaoran stared, and his lips curled up to a smile. Then came a nice chuckling sound. They were music to her ears. This was the first time Sakura saw Syaoran smile and laugh. She felt proud and warm, wishing she could make him laugh more often.  
  
Syaoran calmed down, and nodded. "Sure. Whatever you like."  
  
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Sakura purchased their tickets and pulled Syaoran in. They started with the rides, and then moved on to the cotton candy booth. Syaoran was half confused at most of the time, but he was having too much fun to care.  
  
Time was getting late, and they decided to head to one last ride before they head home. Syaoran chose the one ride they hadn't been on - the Ferris wheel. As they got on the small cart Syaoran's heart quickened at the thought of being locked up in small space with Sakura. He sat silently and looked at Sakura, who was looking outside and awing at every sight.  
  
Syaoran sat back, and followed her sight. Clearly he didn't find the same amusement Sakura shared, so he asked. "What are you looking at?" Sakura turned to him, and said cheerfully. "Look, there's our house." Syaoran wasn't sure what she meant by "our", him and her or she and her family. He took a long outside anyway. "Where?" He asked, fighting back his blush. Sakura pointed. "There, look, look." Syaoran leaned forward. "I still don't see it." Sakura did the same. "You see, there's the penguin park. And see that huge tree just a few blocks left of it? Our house is at the bottom. See?" Syaoran focused, and saw the house with the green roof. He smiled. "Oh...yeah." They turned to each other at the same time, and realized their faces were awfully close. They stared at each other for a brief moment, and then looked away, both hearts beating fast.  
  
Syaoran tried to look outside to calm himself down. Then something caught his attention. "Sakura." He called. Still feeling a bit embarrassed, she answered without looking. "What is it...?" Syaoran pointed outside and asked. "What's that building?" Sakura looked outside, and knew right away which building he meant. "It's my sister's old orphanage. Kamui and she used to live there before they were adopted years ago. Why?"  
  
Syaoran ignored her question. "Do people still live there? Like orphans?" Sakura didn't understand the significant of that, but she answered it anyway. "I heard that it was bought by a big company a year ago. Then after that, it was abandoned." Syaoran narrowed his eyes. "Why would a company buy an orphanage? And then abandon it? It's a total waste of money."  
  
Sakura thought hard, then answered. "Well, I think dad used to know the owner of that orphanage. That was why he chose there to adopt Yuzuriha. He said the owner faced bankruptcy and had to sell his properties, including this orphanage. That happened a year ago I think." Syaoran was still staring at the orphanage. Sakura was getting concern. "What's wrong?" He turned to her, and asked. "Can we go there after this?" Sakura didn't understand. But again, she agreed.  
  
10011001010110101110101010  
  
They arrived at the orphanage. Police tapes surrounded the place and weeds were growing out everywhere. Even though it was off limit, gangsters still came by from time to time to break the windows and spray graffiti on the walls. The building was a sad grey now covered with bright red spray paint. Syaoran went under the police tapes and proceeded ahead. Sakura tried to protest but he cut her off. "Wait here." She watched helplessly as he stepped over the broken glass and into the main door that was hung open.  
  
He sucked in a breath of air. Ah yes. He was familiar with this scent. He certainly had been here before; not once, not twice, he practically lived here. He knew it. He walked ahead, letting not his brain but his feet to guide him. They knew the way around. He walked mindlessly, and let his body take him wherever it wished.  
  
10011011011010101110101001  
  
Sakura walked back and forth outside the exit. "What was the meaning of that? 'Wait here'! Does he take me as an outsider? Can't he tell that I care, too? Did he think that I was too afraid to get in?" She took another look at the creepy building and shivered. "Okay, maybe I am! But he shouldn't have said it!"  
  
Then she saw movement. She hid behind a lamp pole and watched. She gasped at the sight. Men, all dressed in black were surrounding the building. Sakura knew they weren't cops, but what were they doing there? Why would the come to this empty orphanage that could contain nothing valuable? Then it struck her. What if they were here for Syaoran?  
  
011001011010110110110011010  
  
He walked passed the kitchen and the bedrooms. Past the classrooms and the playing area. He knew this place, yes. His body seemed to be concentrating to take him to a certain part of the building.  
  
He stopped in front of a door. He looked up, and letters on top of the door were scratched off. This must had been an office, and the letters must used to be the owner's name. He was about to turn the knob when someone placed a hand on his shoulder. He spun around, taken by surprised. He was even more surprise to find it was Sakura. "I thought I told you to wait outside."  
  
Sakura shook her head. "You don't understand! I snuck in here to warn you about..."  
  
"There he is!" Came a voice down the hall. It was one of the men outside.  
  
"Them!" Sakura finished. Then before she knew it, Syaoran was pulling her, running to the end of the hallway. Their enemy followed. Syaoran and Sakura took a sharp turn, only to see more men in black coming their way. "Don't let him get away."  
  
With no other options left, Syaoran and Sakura dashed into the closest room and locked the door. It was one of the bedrooms with six beds in it. The men were banging on the door. He grabbed on of the beds and blocked the door. He knew it wouldn't hold for long, so he had to look for a way out.  
  
Sakura ran towards the window, and was disappointed to find the windows all had steel bars over them. "They must've used these to keep the children from falling out!" Syaoran came to her side, and said. "That's so stupid! This is only first floor!" Guns fired behind them, and Sakura screamed. Syaoran covered her, and saw the doorknob was now bended. "They are trying to break the door! We don't have much time!" He turned around, and placed his hands around the steel bar.  
  
He could only pray it would work. Closing his eyes, he tried to trigger the same thing that made him jump out of the lab the other day.  
  
Emergency situation acknowledged...  
  
Sending command...  
  
Selecting level...  
  
Level 2 activated.  
  
Syaoran felt the surge of power rushing through his veins. Then with one big jerk the two bars came off. Sakura watched in amazement, but she didn't have time to be surprised. Syaoran climbed out of the window and helped her out moments before the men took a final charge at the door and invaded into the room. Syaoran gabbed Sakura's hand and ran out of the orphanage.  
  
0110110101010101001001111  
  
Yuzuriha hit the enter button and saw the screen slowly loaded.  
  
No matches found  
  
She sat back, and stretched. "I give up. I don't even know where to begin. We've around looked for missing children, but none matches Syaoran's description." Kamui stood next to her, and tried to concentrate. Yuzuriha went on. "It'd be much easier if he knows his name, but the poor child doesn't even remember that."  
  
Kamui sighed. "Name..." He murmured. He thought for a second, and then he started to type in the search word again.  
  
Syaoran  
  
He hit entered, and Yuzuriha looked puzzled. "What good does that do? I mean that's not even his real name." Kamui shrugged. "I'm just trying everything here. There's no harm in that. Besides, we'll never know what we'll find." The screen loaded, and they peered closely. The search hit one match. It was a news article about a year ago. Yuzuriha brushed her hair, and said. "Probably has nothing to do with him."  
  
"Maybe." Kamui said, but he refused to give up. He clicked on the link and went to the page of the article.  
  
They couldn't believe what they found.  
  
101110010101011100110101011  
  
Sakura and Syaoran walked in silence after they lost their chasers. Syaoran felt awkward, and Sakura didn't know what she should be feeling. She was completely surprised by what she saw; she felt that she didn't know him anymore. Syaoran broke the ice. "You must think I'm a monster." Sakura turned to him sharply. He went on. "Just like others would." He thought of Mr. Masaki and his frightened face. He lowered his head and said. "I...I can understand if you don't want to help me anymore. I know how you feel. I'm a dangerous monster that's being hunt down by even more dangerous people. It'll never be safe when you're around me."  
  
"No..." Sakura felt her eyes were filling with tears, but Syaoran went on. "I...I knew that, and I still put your life in danger...I'm sorry. But I..." He looked away. "I wanted to be with you." Sakura let the tears rolled out. Syaoran continued his words. "It's probably for the best if I..."  
  
"Don't!" Sakura put her arms around his waist and hugged his back tightly. "Please...please don't say you'll leave." She sobbed, and her tears wet the back of his shirt. "I'll never think of you as a monster. You're the same gentle and lovable person you are."  
  
"But I don't even know what I'm capable of." Syaoran said. "Every time I'm in danger, I feel something trigger behind me and it strengthens me. They grow stronger and more vicious every time." He looked at his hands. "I don't even know what I am anymore..."  
  
"We'll find out together!" Sakura tightened her grip; she felt if she lost her grip she would lose Syaoran forever. "I don't care what you are! You are you! I know the real you, and I...I..." Syaoran turned around, and she met his gaze. "I really like the real you."  
  
Syaoran's eyes softened, and hugged her tightly. "But I'm...afraid." Sakura closed her eyes and hugged back. "I'll be here. I promise." She snuggled in his arms. "We can do this. We'll find out who you are, and we'll get rid of your enemies. Then you can live your life peacefully." Syaoran exhaled. "Do you really think I can do that?" Sakura simply nodded.  
  
01101100110101101001101011  
  
Sakura and Syaoran went back home. The first thing they saw when they entered the door was Yuzuriha and Kamui, both sitting on the couch with miserable expressions. Sakura stepped up, and asked worriedly. "What's wrong?" Yuzuriha lowered her head for a second, she tried to begin, but Kamui put a hand over her shoulder and filled in for her. "We tried to find some information about Syaoran online today. We've tried everything...we looked up your description in case it hits the description of a lost child, but we have no luck. Then..." He paused, and swallowed. "Then we took a very, very long shot and tried his fake name 'Syaoran'." He held it there. Syaoran stepped up. "And?"  
  
Kamui looked into his eyes. Those amber eyes looked so innocent, just as innocent as they were yesterday when he collapsed into his arms. He was just a child, after all. Kamui swallowed hard, and smiled. "Nothing."  
  
Yuzuriha's head snapped up. "We knew it wouldn't work, and it didn't." Kamui said. "I'm sorry, Syaoran. I know how much you want to know your true identity..." Syaoran shook his head. "No, you tried your best. It's fine." Kamui got off the couch and patted him on the back. "By the way, you must be tired, why don't you and Sakura go rest up a little before we have dinner?" The children nodded and headed out of the living room.  
  
Yuzuriha frowned. "You didn't tell them the truth."  
  
Kamui rubbed his eyes; the day of staring at the computer screen was too tiresome. "The truth will hurt him."  
  
Yuzuriha shook her head, "But it's dangerous. They both have the right to know what they are in for." Kamui turned around. "Yuzuriha, what was your first reaction when you found out?" Yuzuriha was taken by surprise. She lowered her head, and concentrated. "I was afraid. It was like I don't know Syaoran anymore. I'm not sure he's telling us everything he knows."  
  
Kamui glanced at her, and said. "Sakura will have the same feeling. It'll hurt her more than it hurt you."  
  
Yuzuriha lowered her head again, she argued. "But what if he's hiding something from us?" Kamui held her shoulders and looked at her. "Yuzuriha. I trust that child. Would you have the heart to throw him out on the street?" She looked up, and shook her head. "No! Of course not!" Kamui's gaze softened, and held her close. "Then have faith." She slowly nodded, and relaxed in his arms.  
  
010111010101010101101111100  
  
That night, Kamui got ready to leave after dinner. As he put on his sneakers, Yuzuriha came. "Are you leaving? Why don't you stay for the night? It's getting late." Kamui smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be careful." With that, he put on his jacket and waved good-bye before he left.  
  
The street was cold; Kamui put both his hands into his pockets. "So...cold..." he shivered. "Better get home soon." He picked up his paste, and started to jog. It seemed awkward with his hands in his pockets.  
  
Then he braked. A dark figure with long coat stood before him. The coat waved gracefully in the wind; it didn't seem that the man minded the cold. Kamui kept his distance, and was going to turn for another way home when the figure called his name. "Kamui Shirou." Kamui stopped. And eyed the stranger suspiciously. "How do you know my name?" He asked. The dark figure shifted on his spot. "I know a lot about you, Kamui. You past, your friend, and your precious Kotori."  
  
Kamui's eyes widened; he took a step forward. "What do you know about Kotori?" He demanded. The dark figure giggled. "It's ironic, Kamui, it really is."  
  
Kamui narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"  
  
The dark figure spoke again. "Who would have thought what you're doing right now will make you pay dearly in the end."  
  
Kamui was confused; he shook his head. "What are you trying to say? Who are you?" The dark figure stepped to the light, and Kamui finally saw his face. The man had long, pale face with eyes as cold as the winter night. "I'm Fuma Monou. Kotori's older brother."  
  
Kamui froze in his spot, staring at the man. Then he snapped back to reality, and shook his head wildly. "That's a lie! Kotori was an orphan! She didn't have any relatives!" Fuma closed his eyes, and began to explain. "Our parents were divorced when I was two. I went with our father, and Kotori went with our mother. We took separate routes and never saw each other again. My father developed ACME and became the head of this global corporation."  
  
Kamui gasped. This could never be true. The man in front of him was the new successor of ACME, and further more, Kotori's brother. It was impossible. Fuma went on. "It was until my father informed me regretfully in his deathbed that I have a sister. He died in tears, feeling ashamed that he never got to see her grow up. I want to fulfill my father's last wish and find my sister. After I did my research I found that my mother was killed shortly after her divorce and Kotori ended up in an orphanage. I also found that she was adopted to a family with you, Kamui." He looked up, and Kamui thought he felt a chill. He continued to explain. "Unfortunately, I found that out two years ago. Only half a month after her fatal accident."  
  
That was when Kamui knew that man wasn't a fraud. He was the real thing: Kotori's brother, head of the world's top technology corporation. Kamui sighed. "Is that what you want to tell me?" Fuma gazed at him again. "No, Kamui." Kamui looked up and met his gaze. Fuma demanded. "I came here to tell you that if you truly love Kotori, you would stop protecting that boy."  
  
Kamui gasped. Was he talking about Syaoran? "I don't know what you mean..." He tried to cover. Fuma chuckled. "There's no point denying, Kamui. But you would stop protecting him, for both Kotori's and your sake."  
  
Kamui began to wonder, what was the connection between Kotori and Syaoran? He squeezed his hands into a fist, and figured it wouldn't matter; he would not sell Syaoran out. "What's the point? Kotori is...she's..." He sighed, and whispered. "She's dead..."  
  
His heart ached, he noticed that this was the first time in two years that the actually admitted to the fact. When Kotori died in the accident, Kamui saw the corpus himself; her death was so convincing that it was almost impossible to deny. Her cold hands and her cold lips all seemed so pale and...lifeless. But a few days later, Kotori's body mysteriously disappeared from the morgue. They never found her body. Kamui supposed that was when he started to believe she was still alive, somewhere, somehow; and one day she would make her way back to him.  
  
Yet now, in the cold night, he gave up hope. He saw the body; it was real. There was no point in denying it anymore. Further more, he could never risk another life for his selfish beliefs.  
  
"Why is he so important to you anyway?" Kamui yelled back. "Just who is he?"  
  
Somehow, Fuma managed to smile. "You can ask one of your friends for the answer to that question." He started to turn away. "Of all the people, Kamui, you shouldn't be the one that's doing this. Just bear this in mind: if you protect him, you'll regret it. Hand him to me, Kamui, for Kotori's sake." Then smoothly, he slipped back into the cold dark street.  
  
011011010101010001010  
  
Kamui ran all the way back to the Kinomoto resident. He rang the doorbell furiously, and Yuzuriha came to answer it. "What the...Kamui! What's wrong?" She brought him to the kitchen and poured him a glass of water. He downed the glass, and steadied his breaths. "Sorry, but I had to head to the closest shelter." Yuzuriha pulled a chair and sat beside him. "What's wrong?"  
  
Kamui hesitated. He looked around and said. "Where's Syaoran?" Yuzuriha gestured upward, and said. "He's upstairs with Sakura." She looked back to him. "Why, is it about him?" She lowered her voice. "Is it about what we found?"  
  
Kamui ran his hand through his hair. "Fuma Monou, of all people, came to me just then."  
  
Yuzuriha frowned. "The head of ACME? That's crazy."  
  
"It's him." Kamui said. He explained his encounter with Fuma, and Yuzuriha shook her head. "No way! There's no way that Kotori has a brother! Kamui, they can be just luring you into giving Syaoran away!" Kamui nodded. "I thought so, too. I could never believe a stanger, and yet, he has Kotori's last name. And everything he said about Kotori was true! I'm confused...about Kotori...about Syaoran." Yuzuriha held his hand. "It's okay." She shifted in her seat. "So Fuma just gave you hints and left you?"  
  
Kamui looked up. "He did give me one source. He said one of my friends knows the truth to it all."  
  
"Who is it?" Yuzuriha asked blankly. Kamui turned and said. "You and I both know who he is."  
  
Yuzuriha's eyes widened. With a nod, they headed upstairs together.  
  
0111101010101010011111  
  
They found Fujitaka in the study room. Kamui knocked on the opened door, and Fujita turned around. "Kamui, I thought you went home." Kamui gave him a serious glance. "We need to talk, Mr. Kinomoto." Yuzuriha walked into the study with Kamui.  
  
Fujitaka smiled, and sit down on the chair. "I suspect you would." He signed, and gestured them to take a seat. They sit down on a sofa across from the desk, and waited. "So what did you find out?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
"Only a little." Kamui said.  
  
Outside the study room, Syaoran was on his way to the kitchen for some water when he heard them talk. He was going to join in when he heard Kamui said. "We know you know Syaoran's true identity, that's for sure." Syaoran paused, and stayed close to the wall. Then he heard Fujitaka began. "Indeed I do."  
  
"It wasn't hard." Kamui said. "After all, you do know Syaoran's real name."  
  
"How did you find that out?"  
  
"We searched the net. 'Syaoran' is indeed his name. We looked it up and hit an article about him with his picture." Kamui thought of the article, and he put his hands to a fist. "I want an explanation, Mr. Kinomoto." He looked up sharply. "Why did the article say Syaoran is dead?"  
  
Outside, Syaoran gasped quietly. Holding his breath, he heard Kamui began again. "The article clearly explained that Li Syaoran was a victim of a car accident that happened a year ago just outside the Penguin Park. According to the article, Syaoran was chasing a puppy, and was struck by a van just outside. His condition was critical when he got to the hospital and was pronounced dead the following night."  
  
That explained it, Syaoran thought. The tire marks, the puppy and his fade memories. But...  
  
"But he is indeed alive!" Kamui yelled, as if he could read Syaoran's mind. "I thought the article was about someone else with the same name, but the boy on the picture...it was him! But he is alive and well! So why..." He couldn't go on. Beside him, Yuzuriha was trying desperately not to sob.  
  
Fujitaka listened with patient, and sighed. "No he's not, Kamui." They looked up, shocked. He went on. "He is dead, Kamui. Li Syaoran died a year ago." He stood up. "At least...by law he is."  
  
Confused, Kamui waited for him to explain. Fujitaka drew a deep breath, and said. "I...used to know Syaoran's parents. Mr. Li was a technologist and Mrs. Li owned the orphanage you and Yuzuriha used to be in." They gasped. "The orphanage?"  
  
He went on. "Sadly, Mrs. Li died young. Mr. Li carried on his dead wife's wish, abandoned his research and continued the orphanage. After I adopted Yuzuriha, we never made contact again until around a year ago, when we heard the sad news of Syaoran's accident." He sighed again. "We knew Syaoran was all he got. It must've been a tremendous lost to him, so we decided to visit."  
  
Yuzuriha sat up. "I remembered. So that was why our whole family went to visit the orphanage last year." Kamui turned to her. "You've seen Syaoran's dad?" Yuzuriha shook her head. "We were told to wait in the play ground while dad went to visit his friend." She looked up. "So...you were visiting Syaoran's dad?"  
  
Fujitaka nodded. "Dr. Li...he was an amazing technologist. He...he was the one who brought Syaoran back to life."  
  
100010101111111000000  
  
One year ago, at the orphanage  
  
Fujitaka walked with Dr. Li in the hallway, passing by laughing children. Fujitaka said. "I'm sorry for Syaoran." He closed his eyes. "I know what it feels like to lose a son." Dr. Li shook his head, and chuckled. "Do you really believe what the article says, Fujitaka?"  
  
Fujitaka looked up, and asked. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Syaoran's alive, Fujitaka." Dr. Li said. "He's right here with me."  
  
After losing a son and a wife, a person's mind can crumble and speak nonsense. Or so Fujitaka thought. "Li, you're going mad. Are you sure you're alright?" Dr. Li shook his head, "No, I'm better than fine. You see, because Syaoran's with me."  
  
"Li..." Fujitaka began, but he was interrupted with Dr. Li opened the door to his office, and said. "Step in, will you?" Fujitaka sighed, and went in. The room was dark, but from the dim light, Fujitaka could tell it was messy. Computer chips and wires filled every tables and chairs. There were devices for unknown uses everywhere. He glanced around as his friend walked ahead and turned on the light. Fujitaka gasped at the sight.  
  
Syaoran was lying peacefully in a bed. Countless wires were attached to his body. At first Fujitaka thought his friend had gone mad and the boy was nothing but a corpus. But as he walked closer, he could see Syaoran was breathing steadily. Soft beeping sound came from several monitors, stating his heart was functioning perfectly. "Li..." Fujitaka was too amazed to speak.  
  
Dr. Li checked the monitors, and turned back to his friend. "It's my project, Fujitaka. I've succeeded." He turned back to Syaoran. "Those morons back in the hospital couldn't help him. I had to take him into my own hands. It was bad. He was pronounced dead, Fujitaka, dead." He took a deep breath. "But I brought him back to life." He straightened up and started to check Syaoran's status on the computer. "My research was finally put to use. I replace parts of him with machines, and it worked. Fujitaka, he could be alive again!" He spun around.  
  
"An android?" Fujitaka asked. Feeling silly about the idea. But Dr. Li nodded. "Preciously."  
  
Fujitaka was speechless. He was almost certain his friend was going insane; yet here was Syaoran, alive. "Will he be able to move?" He asked. Dr. Li nodded. "Of course! He'll be able to walk, talk and do everything everyone else can do! He'll have no difference with others! But not yet, Fujitaka, not yet. I'm still missing one important essence." Fujitaka stepped up; beginning to think everything he heard made sense. "What's that?"  
  
Dr. Li slowly turned around, and looked into him with a pair of soft eyes. "Do you...believe in souls?"  
  
Fujitaka hesitated, and shook his head. "Ah...no. Sorry, I'm no a believer."  
  
Dr. Li closed his eyes. "Not many do." He opened them again slowly. "But they exist, Fujitaka, they truly do." He turned around and brushed his boy's hair. "Everyone has a soul. It is what makes you think, what makes you grown, and most importantly, what makes you feel. Without soul, we're just an emotionless body. But the fact is we have feelings, Fujitaka." He touched Syaoran's face. "But Syaoran's soul was taken away when he died. No matter how hard I try, he will just be another machine until he has his soul back. That's why I've discovered soultech."  
  
"Soultech?" Fujitaka echoed. Dr. Li nodded. "Soultech. Soul technology. It's the study of soul with a scientific perspective. Nobody has done anything like it before. I've discovered a way to create a human soul. It's still not complete; but once it is, Syaoran can be just as normal as your children. He can do whatever they do, most of all, he can feel whatever they feel."  
  
Fujitaka looked confused. "How exactly...do you create a soul?"  
  
Dr. Li held up a small chip. "It's all in here. This is what it's all about." He put it back into his coat and walked towards Syaoran. "Syaoran has got one of those near his heart. Where a soul should be." He sat beside him, and said. "I'm still trying to make it compatible. But it's going fine. My prototype is working great so far."  
  
"Prototype?" Just then, a light bark sounded behind Fujitaka. He turned around, and saw Syaoran's best friend, Inuki, wagging his tail behind him. "Inuki?"  
  
"That's right, Inuki." Dr. Li said, walking loser to them. "He was also involved in the accident. It was him that Syaoran was chasing when the accident occurred." He knelt down and stroked its fur. "It didn't make it, just like Syaoran. But I replaced his body parts with machines just as I've done with Syaoran, and inserted a soultech chip."  
  
Fujitaka shrugged. "Looks like it's doing fine." Dr. Li got up. "Yes, but there's one flaw. It can't grow. It'll stay that size the rest of its life. I want Syaoran to live a normal life. I need a chip that can make Syaoran grows as he should." He looked at Fujitaka. "I'm getting close."  
  
He pushed a button on a wall, and the curtain drew apart. Sunlight shone in, and outside, they could see Sakura and Yuzuriha laughing in the playground.  
  
"This is..." Fujitaka began, but Dr. Li finished it for him. "It's a single sided mirror. One side is clear as crystal but the other side is a mirror. I open it to let Syaoran see the outside sometimes."  
  
"What...?" Fujitaka turned, and saw Syaoran's eyes were opened, but only slightly. Dr. Li tilted the bed up to Syaoran could face the window. Dr. Li smiled. "It's all he can do up to this point. But in about a month or so, he should be about to get up and walk." It was impossible to see what was Syaoran watching under his emotionless eyes.  
  
The room was bathed in sunlight and filled with children's laughter. Fujitaka smiled, and nodded. "Looks like you've done it, Li. Looks like you've done it."  
  
Outside, Sakura looked curiously at the window, but saw nothing except her own reflection. She could have sworn someone was watching her. Yuzuriha called out to her, and she ran happily towards her sister and her mother.  
  
Those images remained in Syaoran's mind.  
  
1010110101010101101001101010  
  
Kamui was stunned by what he heard. "Are you telling me...that Syaoran's an android?"  
  
Fujitaka rubbed his eyes. "I cannot give you the answer, Kamui. But the truth is, Li succeeded, and Syaoran was, as he says, was normal as one can be." He looked down. "It was too bad that Li couldn't see it."  
  
"Syaoran?"  
  
That surprised all of them. The three turned to the doorway sharply and saw Syaoran there. Sakura was the one who called him. Syaoran looked lifeless and empty. He whispered. "I'm sorry." Then he dashed downstairs, and out of the house.  
  
"Syaoran!" Sakura ran after him, but he was out before she could get stop him. When she turned around, Kamui was already putting on his shoes. "I'll go get him, you wait here with your family." He charged out of the house, and into the dark street. Sakura turned to see her sister and father. "What's wrong? He seemed hurt." Yuzuriha hugged her, and said. "It's okay. Kamui will find him. Go back to your room." Sakura was worried and afraid, afraid that those men would get Syaoran, but she didn't argue. Yuzuriha let go of her, and she went back to her room.  
  
"What happened after, dad?" Yuzuriha demanded. Fujitaka sighed. "Li must have succeeded, but the research put him in bad debts. The orphanage was sold to ACME, but they weren't interested in the orphans, they were interested in his technology, soultech. They wanted his research; they wanted Syaoran."  
  
Yuzuriha gasped. "That's terrible! They can't treat him like an object!"  
  
"But by law, Syaoran's dead and his is just another piece of property. When ACME bought the orphanage, Syaoran rightfully belong to them. Li tried to fight back, but they said they were willing to take this to court. Afraid that Li might speak too much...they finished him off. Then they took Syaoran away."  
  
Yuzuriha sank into a sofa. "I can't believe it..."  
  
"I don't know what they've done to him." Fujitaka looked out the window. Clouds were forming; a storm is about to come. "But only Syaoran can fight his way out of this one now."  
  
To be continued... 


	4. Epilogue

S O U L T E C H  
  
- Chapter 3 -  
  
A drop of water dripped on a rich green leave. The cloud was thickening and it was starting to rain. Kamui ran into the park and looked around. No one was in sight; the hour was too late for children to be in the park. He panted for a minute until the rain came down. He pulled on the hood of his jacket, and began to search again.  
  
He searched everywhere in the Penguin park, yet he still couldn't find Syaoran. He was about to give up when he saw the child all coiled up, sitting on the soaked ground beside the giant penguin slide. He buried his face in his arms and leaned his back on the slide, as if he was trying to seek the big, cuddly penguin for comfort. Kamui approached him slowly, and then stood beside him as if he didn't see him. "You know, you'll catch a cold." The boy didn't budge. The rain got heavier.  
  
Kamui knelt across from Syaoran, and held out his hand, just like the way they met the first time. "Come on."  
  
Syaoran shook his head. "I'm not going back."  
  
"That's fine. We'll go to my house. No one's there, you're safe with me."  
  
Syaoran didn't move. Moments later, he said. "I don't want to get anyone involve anymore."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I'm not worth it. I'm just a dead person. If I stay out of the way, you and Sakura's family will be safe. I'm...just an outsider."  
  
"That's not true!" Kamui said, a bit too loudly. "We never saw you as an outsider. You're our friend, and when friends are in trouble, we help out."  
  
"It's just that..." Syaoran shifted, "I'm mad...mad at myself for putting you all in danger; and for what? I'm not even human." His voice cracked. It sounded husky and weak. Kamui put his hand on his shoulder and drew him close. "We don't care what you are. As long as you're Syaoran, you're one of us."  
  
Syaoran looked up. His eyes wet from tears. Kamui brushed his hair, it felt damped in his hand; he whispered. "Trust me."  
  
Syaoran broke to a sob and held on to Kamui tightly.  
  
10101111111110011010101001  
  
Kamui brought Syaoran home, just as he promised. They walked up to the flights of stairs and arrived at Kamui's apartment. They were both soaking wet, dripping a long trail behind them. Syaoran had Kamui's jacked wrapped around him; thought it was also soaked Syaoran still felt a strange sense of warmth in it. Kamui's hand never left Syaoran's shoulder. He held him close to make sure nobody was going to take him away. He reached into his jeans and pulled out his set of keys when he notice an envelope half stuffed into his mailbox.  
  
He pulled it out, thinking it was just another flyer. But as he looked at it, it was more like a telegram then anything. It only had a short sentence on the front and nothing more. No address, no name; not even Kamui's name was on it. The sentence was typed, and it simply said. "When you need help, look for CCD on CDM".  
  
Kamui knew about CDM. It was short for Cosmo Direct Messenger, a chat program Kamui used often. He used it to chat with mostly Yuzuriha when he was online, but it served no more purpose than that. His instinct told him this was a joke, yet he stuffed the paper into his pocket and opened the door.  
  
They entered, and Kamui locked the door behind them. He told Syaoran to wait by the door as he went inside to find some old clothes. He came out with a sweatshirt and a pair of old ripped jeans. They were a bit big for Syaoran but it would do. Kamui grabbed a tile and set it in a neat pile with the clothes and headed out. Syaoran was looked softly at a picture.  
  
Kamui smiled. It was Kotori that Syaoran was looking at. Kamui gave him the pile, and Syaoran turned around slowly. "She's pretty." He said softly. Kamui nodded. "She was the best."  
  
Syaoran tilted his head. "Was?"  
  
Kamui shrugged. "She died. Two years ago."  
  
Syaoran lowered his head. "I'm sorry."  
  
"That's alright." They were silent for a moment, and then Kamui gave him a pat on the shoulder. "You should really get out of those wet clothes. Come on, I'm show you to the bathroom."  
  
As Syaoran closed the door behind him, Kamui went to his own room and changed. Kamui came out fresh, and he saw Syaoran clumsily drying his hair. Kamui smiled, and took the tile from him. "Here." He helped him dry; gently rubbing the towel on the silky hair. It reminded Kamui of a time, a long time ago, when he really wanted a little brother. Then he realized he saw Syaoran as someone to take care of ever since he saw him wounded in the wood. He wasn't sure why, but he had a strange feeling when he was around Syaoran. It was as if he couldn't leave him along.  
  
The phone rang and interrupted his thoughts. He went to the sofa and picked up the phone that was sitting on the coffee table. "Hello?"  
  
"Kamui! You're finally home! Did you find him?" Yuzuriha's voice burst out from the other end.  
  
"Oh, yeah. I did. He's here with me. Don't worry; we'll be fine. He can spend the night here." He turned to look at Syaoran, and mouthed that it was Yuzuriha. Syaoran nodded and sat beside him.  
  
"Thank god." Yuzuriha said, a bit quieter. But almost immediately, she turned up her volume again. "You could've called! We were so worried!"  
  
"I'm sorry." Kamui said, his ear hurt from her yelling. "We just got back."  
  
"No one followed you on the way, right?"  
  
"No problem. I checked."  
  
"Good. Do you think you can take care of Syaoran then?"  
  
"Don't worry. He's a good kid, we'll be fine."  
  
"Okay...but if anything comes up! You have to call us, okay?"  
  
"Alright, alright. I promise." Kamui smiled.  
  
"Okay. Well, then. Goodnight."  
  
"Night." Kamui hung up. He turned around, and was surprised to see Syaoran leaning on him, now fast asleep. His face seemed childish and innocent in his sleep. Kamui smiled reluctantly, and stroke the on the boy's wet hair.  
  
Then it hit him, why did he care so much. Syaoran reminded Kamui of himself; the young him; the innocent him. They were both lonely and unsecured. The resemblance overwhelmed him. Feeling warm, comfortable, and no longer lonely, Kamui slowly closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.  
  
1100111011010101110001011  
  
Fuma stepped into an oval shaped elevator and the thin doors closed before him. He touched the glowing screen and typed in a password. The elevator hummed softly and began to decent. The light above showed he was getting to a restricted area; only people like him can access that floor. The humming stopped, and he stepped out.  
  
Several scientists were working with data and different machine parts. One looked up from a chart and greeted the president of ACME politely. Fuma ignored his gesture. "Are you done with it?" He asked plainly.  
  
The scientist hesitated, and shifted uneasily. He didn't need to say it; Fuma already knew the answer. "I'll give you one more hour." The scientists thanked him with gratitude, and said it would be enough as Fuma marched out of the room and back into the elevator.  
  
He proceeded to an even deeper floor, one that can only be accessed by him only. The door hissed, and soft mist flew into the elevator like mysterious white ghost. The temperature was kept below zero on this floor. Fuma was wearing much too little for temperature like this, but he was used to the cold. He stepped inside, and looked peacefully at the sight before him.  
  
Before him stood a glass tube even bigger than the elevator. As the mist began to clear, he could see the body inside. The girl with long, soft light brown hair slept frozen inside. Her peaceful features eased his pain. Every time he felt stressful he came down to look at her face, then he would tell himself it would all be worth it.  
  
"Just wait, Kotori." He whispered to the girl. "I promise you'll see the light again by tonight."  
  
01000010010010101001010101  
  
Kamui groaned, and opened his eyes slowly. The lights hurt his eyes. He looked at the clock that read midnight, and turned to see the boy that was sleeping beside him. As his head cleared, he remembered what happened. He combed his hair roughly with his fingers and was going to tell Syaoran to get up and sleep in the bed when he realized something was wrong.  
  
"Syaoran?"  
  
He didn't answer. He was breathing heavily. Kamui lifted him into his arms and saw his face was all red. He was not surprise to find his forehead was burning like an oven. "Oh no..." Kamui whispered to himself.  
  
11001100101010101010110101  
  
Yuzuriha and Sakura arrived ten minutes later, Kamui rushed over to open the door. "I'm sorry to call you this late, but I just don't know who to turn to."  
  
Yuzuriha nodded. "That's okay. How is he?"  
  
Kamui let them in. "He's burning up. I think he caught a cold from being in that rain tonight."  
  
They went into the bedroom and saw Syaoran lying on Kamui's bed. His face was bright red, very breath he took seemed to be an effort to him. Sakura rushed over and shook him softly. "Syaoran. Syaoran!" But he didn't answer. He just lied there, trying to breath. She turned around. "We need to get him to the hospital!"  
  
"We can't." Kamui said. "What if men from ACME are there? We'll be caught." He put his hand to his forehead. "And that's not the worst thing. How are we going to explain what he's made of? I mean, sure, it looks like he's having a fever, but it could be that his system is over heating or something..." Right away, he covered his mouth remembering Sakura didn't know yet.  
  
"That's okay." Yuzuriha said. "I told her."  
  
Kamui looked from one girl to another, stunned for a moment. Sakura shook her head. "I don't care. I don't care who or what he is. He is still the same Syaoran I know and he's not well. We'll do all our best to help him," She turned around. "Right?"  
  
Yuzuriha nodded. "Right."  
  
Kamui looked at her with determination. "Of course."  
  
Right away, they started working. Sakura prepared the ice water and wet towel to decrease his temperature. Yuzuriha and Kamui worked hard together to try and cook something nutritious for him when he woke.  
  
They thought they'd make oak meals. Kamui found the box of quick mix while Yuzuriha boiled the water. She looked at him softly, and asked. "Kamui...why do you care for him so much?" Caught off guard, he stopped pouring the mix and turned to her. "What do you mean? You're good to him."  
  
"Well..." She put the kettle on stove and turned on the fire. "My father's friend to his father. We knew him...well...sort of." She bit her nails.  
  
Kamui smiled. "Would that make a difference?"  
  
She blushed. It wouldn't.  
  
Kamui closed his eyes. "You and I both know there's something about Syaoran that made us couldn't resist. It was as if he was strong, yet weak at the same time."  
  
Yuzuriha nodded, cuing him to go on.  
  
"He's a innocent little boy who's desperate for help, but he wouldn't seek for it. He's too kind; he wouldn't put others into his trouble." He put the box back on to the shelf, and closed the cupboard. "But there's another reason why I couldn't leave him alone."  
  
Yuzuriha looked softly at him. He paused, as if searching for the right words then turned to face her. "He...is just like me when I was young. When I was his age, I refuse to seek help of others. I lock my feelings up and thought if I don't bother others, I wouldn't cause any trouble to them."  
  
"Until Kotori and I broke your barrier." Yuzuriha tilted her head and smiled. Kamui gazed at her, and returned a soft look. "Right." He said. "Now we've broken Syaoran's barrier. I don't want you to be involved, but I am willing to protect him."  
  
"And let you do it alone?" Yuzuriha giggled. "Are you crazy?" She took his hands. "We're in this together."  
  
They watched each other for a moment, then Kamui nodded softly. "Right."  
  
The kettle boiled, and they prepared to serve the food.  
  
00100100111101011101101010101  
  
Sakura put the white towel in ice water and twisted, the water droplets escaped from the towel back into the basin. She gentle placed the cool towel over Syaoran's forehead. He felt the damped cloth on his forehead and sighed. He was breathing more steadily now, and his temperature was lower. Sakura watched him, and held his hand tightly.  
  
His eyes flickered, and opened. He looked drowsily at her as she smiled at him. "Sakura...what are you doing here?" He tried to get up, but Sakura pushed him back down. "Stay still. You need all the rest you can get now." She repositioned his towel and went back to holding his hand. "You have a fever. Kamui couldn't take care of you alone so he called for help."  
  
Syaoran closed his eyes, and let the coolness of the damped towel sank in. "Sorry for your trouble."  
  
Sakura shook her head. "I'm glad to do it."  
  
"But you should leave."  
  
"What?" Sakura's heart sank.  
  
"I...don't want you to be involved. Of all the people, I don't want you to be in danger because of me." He squeezed her hand tightly, and looked away. He expected Sakura to be mad, yet she replied softly. "But I want to be involved."  
  
Syaoran turned back, and glanced into those soft green eyes. She continued tearfully. "I wouldn't say I want to protect you, because I can't. And I'm tired of saying I want to protect you and stuffs. For now...for now..." She paused, and lowered her head. Then she looked up and stared at him passionately. "For now, I just want to be with you. That's all."  
  
Syaoran was touched. He couldn't speak for a moment. A loud noise outside interrupted their silence. Syaoran managed to get up and opened the drapes. He gasped; helicopters were heading towards their apartment. They stopped before their building and unloaded some men with guns. One man stepped out; he was dressed differently. He picked up a speaker and spoke. "Li Syaoran, we have you surrounded. You might as well come out, or we'll not guarantee what would happen to this building and everyone else in it."  
  
Sakura sucked in cold breath. She knew they were serious. She turned around and saw Yuzuriha and Kamui came in. "Are they serious?" Yuzuriha yelled. "This is crazy!"  
  
As they waited, more cars arrived carrying more men. "You have one minute." The leader said.  
  
One minute, they would never have time to do anything. Even if they call the police it would be too late. "What should we do?" Sakura said.  
  
Then Kamui remembered the note that was in his mailbox. He dashed to his study room, and woke the computer from standby mode. Yuzuriha followed after him. "What are you doing?" Kamui took the note out of his pocket, and opened the Cosmo Direct Messenger program. It loaded slowly. Kamui slammed the mouse. "Stupid computer! Hurry!"  
  
As it finally loaded, he searched the username "CCD". He gave the note to Yuzuriha. "I got this today, telling me to contact someone if I need help."  
  
Yuzuriha looked at the note curiously, and frowned. "Can you trust this thing? I mean it could be one big joke."  
  
"I'm desperate, Yuzuriha. I have to give it a shot." He double clicked on the search result. It hit one user. CCD. Their lives depended on these three letters. "Right now, you have to go tell Syaoran what's happening and make sure he doesn't do anything crazy!" He typed in "SOS" and pressed send.  
  
Yuzuriha nodded, and dashed back to the bedroom. She was there in time to see Sakura pushing Syaoran back on to the bed as he desperately tried to get outside. Yuzuriha joined in and slammed Syaoran back on the bed in one swift motion. "Try to do something that doesn't involve sacrificing yourself! Kamui and I are trying to seek help! You stay right here, got it?"  
  
Syaoran didn't reply, nor did he look at her. She knew he wouldn't give up so easily. She hugged him tightly, surprising him and Sakura. "If anything happen to you, I'll have to live with that guilt for the rest of my life." She let go of him so he could face her. "Don't let that happen to me." She released him before she left him stunned and weak.  
  
Yuzuriha ran back into the study, and asked. "Any luck?"  
  
Kamui shrugged. "I just got his reply. He said 'I suspect you would want our help', then he told me to describe our situation to him."  
  
"We don't have time." Yuzuriha wined.  
  
"I'm going as fast as I could!"  
  
The screen flashed, another message appeared.  
  
CCD: How's the child?  
  
Kamui hesitated, then typed.  
  
K.S.: Not good. He has a fever and is about to jump out the window to save us if something doesn't happen soon.  
  
There was a pause. Kamui waited anxiously for his reply. Then when it finally came up, he was somewhat surprised.  
  
CCD: On our way  
  
The chat ended there. Kamui kept asking more questions, but CCD wouldn't reply. Moments later, he got an auto message saying CCD had gone offline. Kamui hit the keyboard furiously. "Damn it!" Then came a thundering crash. The whole building seemed to shake. "They're making their move!"  
  
Outside, one of the cars just charged into the front door of the building. The same man stepped up and announced. "One minute has gone by, we're not going to wait any longer. Surrender now, Li Syaoran."  
  
Syaoran looked outside with despair. His face seemed emotionless. Further out, he could hear the siren of police cars, but they would never make it in time. Behind him, Sakura shivered. She knew what he was going to do. "No..." She held on to his arm, tears fell from her eyes like crystals. Syaoran dried them, and said softly. "I have to."  
  
He stepped off the bed, and turned around. "Don't wait up." He said with a husky voice. Then, he knew he had to say it now, for he would probably never have the chance again. "I love you." He whispered. Sakura's eyes widened as his lips came down softly onto hers. Slowly, she closed her eyes. She felt him slipping away; his lips, his hands, every part of him swiftly moved away like the wind. Then when she opened her eyes, he was gone.  
  
01011101010110011010101  
  
Kigai looked at his watch impatiently, and talked to one of his men. Just when they were about to attack, they saw someone stood on top of the building, dangerously close to the edge. Kigai used his binocular to see, and swore under his breath. "That's our target! Don't shoot! Fuma wants the chip in whole!"  
  
Syaoran touched his chest. So it was the chip they wanted, his soul, his life. His father had lost his life because of this technology; he wouldn't let the same thing happen to Sakura and others. He took a deep breath, and leaped into the night.  
  
"No! That's a twenty floor building!" Kigai yelled, taking off his binocular.  
  
The wind blew hard as Syaoran fell. He preyed. "Make it work...make it work!" He touched the back of his neck, and the program kicked in.  
  
Emergency situation acknowledged...  
  
Sending command...  
  
Selecting level...  
  
Level 2 activated.  
  
He landed as swiftly as a cat. Dust flew around him but he made no sound. He was up on his feet in seconds and already knocked down three men before they even knew what happened. Others tried to surround him, but he was too fast. He dodged away from the crowd, and took them down one by one. Kigai shouted his commands. "Use the AC-17's!"  
  
One of the men took out a rather big gun. He fired two shots. What came out were no bullets. They were two small robots no bigger than a mouse. As they glide through the air, their little arms stretched out, ready to make their move.  
  
Syaoran realized it was too late to dodge it, so he tried to use his hand to hit it away like a baseball. Instead, when he hit, the little bugs stuck on to his hands. Their little arms wrapped around his wrists. When he tired to pull them off, they released a great deal of electric current, shocking him. Syaoran yelled out in pain, but it didn't stop. It shocked him until he collapsed weakly on the ground.  
  
Two more machine bugs came and they made their ways to Syaoran's ankles. He spotted them and tried to kick them away, but they also wrapped their arms around him. Suddenly, they released their magnetic field. The attraction drew them close and they fused together, locking his feet together as well. The ones around his wrist did the same, until he was tied helplessly to the ground.  
  
Syaoran knew he only had one more chance: the final stage of his program. He would have to trigger level three to break free. Yet he was afraid he would lose control, just as he did earlier when he was with Mr. Masaki. He would never know who he hurt until it was too late.  
  
He heard the footsteps approaching him and fear took over. Suddenly he felt helpless and alone. He tried to break free but the mechanic bugs wouldn't budge. He had no choice; he would have to use the program.  
  
Emergency situation acknowledged...  
  
Sending command...  
  
Error...  
  
Error...  
  
System overheat...  
  
Syaoran felt dizzy, and his head hurt. Why didn't the program work? It was hard for him to breath and his vision was failing on him. Could it be the fever he was having blocked his program? He didn't understand; he could only waited helplessly for the men to take him away. Kigai smiled, and knelt beside him. "We finally caught you, our little wolf." He chuckled, and put Syaoran over his shoulder. "Let's head back! Mr. Monou would be glad to hear we finally found him." The men began to leave, and Kigai got on a helicopter with Syaoran over his shoulder.  
  
"Noooooooooo!!" Sakura screamed from the window. "Let him go!! Don't you dare touch him! Let go of him!" She was getting emotional, Yuzuriha had to stop her from jumping out the window. "Let me go!" Sakura yelled. "I have to go save Syaoran! Syaoran! SYAORAN!!"  
  
Kamui was already running down the downstairs. He could hear the helicopters going away, leaving him. He cursed himself for letting them get their hands on Syaoran. He charged out of the exit, in time to see the Syaoran's helicopter lifting into air. It was too late; he could never make it now.  
  
Just when he felt helpless, a series of bullets shot the helicopters, making tiny sparks on them. "What the..." Kigai looked out the window and gasped at the sight of at least five more helicopters, and none of them were his friends.  
  
The choppers were bigger and brighter. The floodlight beamed on Kigai, almost blinding him. "ACME, we are with the federal force. Surrender at once!"  
  
Rescuers! Finally! A gleam of hope shone through like the floodlight the choppers had. Kamui stood as if his feet were glued to the ground. He stared at his allies, and prayed they'd help get Syaoran back.  
  
Desperate, Kigai took Syaoran, and pointed the handgun to his head. "Stop there or the kid gets it!" He smiled and shook his head. "I won't give a damn, I tell you what. My orders were dead or alive. Syaoran tried to fight back, but he was still weak, and the little robots on his arms and legs wouldn't budge.  
  
The other choppers knew he meant business. He would do it if they didn't obey. Though they weren't happy to do it, they stayed back, and held their position. One of them talked through the speaker. "Don't hurt the child. We'll stay as you wish."  
  
"You bastard!" Kamui shouted. "Cheapskate! Give Syaoran back now!" He started running towards the helicopter.  
  
On the ally choppers, the captain made a gesture to one of his shooters. The shooter nodded, and emptied his gun. Instead, he loaded it with a special bullet. Then he lied down on his stomach, aimed and shot. The bullet hit the tail of the ACME helicopter. It stuck there and a tiny red light started flashing. The shooter gave the captain a thumb up, and the captain nodded.  
  
The ACME helicopter flew further away, Kamui finally gave up after two blocks of chasing. He stopped and panted. One of the ally's choppers landed behind him, and the captain stepped off. "It's no use. Even if you can catch up to him you would only become another hostage."  
  
Kamui turned around and saw a tall and well-built man with a helmet on. He was in some sort of soldier's uniform. He took off his helmet and shoot off his sweat. Under his helmet was a head-full of thick blond hair. His eyes opened, and his blue eyes shone like diamond. He smiled confidently and said. "Imonoyama Nokoru is the name. I'm the head of Clamp Corporation. But I believe you know me as CCD on Cosmo Direct Messenger."  
  
100110010101010100011101010111101  
  
They were back in Kamui's apartment. Another man now companied Nokoru. His sidekick has black hair and deep black eyes, but his face seemed friendly and kind. Nokoru looked around his house and talked to his sidekick as he jot down notes on his palm-pilot. Sakura was crying in the living room and Yuzuriha was comforting her. Kamui walked up to the two men and asked. "Just who are you guys anyway? I know you're part of Clamp Corp. but why are you involved in this?"  
  
Nokoru turned to him, and smiled. "You can say we're a big rival of the ACME Company. We sell the same products and devices, but they always seemed to get the bigger share of the pie.  
  
"We've been after them for sometime now. About half a year ago, our top technologists found out that all of ACME's products are linked back to their main computer in the HQ. They invaded others' privacy and broke the law, so we are working with the federal government to put ACME behind the bars. During the process, we dug out a lot more dirt about ACME than we expected. Not only do they only invade other's privacy, we also found out they were involved in some major unsolved crimes, including murder."  
  
Yuzuriha remembered Syaoran's dad, he shifted uneasily and remained silent.  
  
"Unfortunately, there's still not enough evidence, so we continued to search. That was how we traced to Syaoran. We knew ACME was up to no good again with this half mechanic boy, so we gave you the note and tell you to contact us when you need help."  
  
"What do they want Syaoran for?" Kamui asked with a husky voice.  
  
"Their motivate is still unclear, but we think it might involve the technology that's on Syaoran. After all, he is the first android ever created." Nokoru answered.  
  
As if out of nowhere, Yuzuriha suddenly stood up and slapped Nokoru. Kamui was taken by surprise. Nokoru's sidekick stepped forward at once, and grabbed her hand. She fought and yelled. "You're just the same! Some advanced technology company that's after Syaoran's parts! What are you going to do? Take him from ACME and dissect him yourself?"  
  
Nokoru rubbed his face and smiled softly at her. He gesture the man to let go. "It's okay, Akira. Let go of her." The sidekick reluctantly obeyed, and Yuzuriha rubber her arm. "He's not an object." She began. "Why can't you see him as a human being? He's no different from anyone of you. He has feelings." Tears dropped from her eyes. "Just because he's made of part machine doesn't mean he can't live a normal life."  
  
Kamui's gaze softened. He felt exactly the same way. She was right; these people could be also after Syaoran's technology. He went over to her and wrapped her in his arms. He looked up and faced the head of Clamp Corporation seriously. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you'll have to lay off the case. Syaoran's not just another android to us. He's more than that. If you threat him any less you should just leave right now."  
  
Nokoru just listened with a soft expression. He nodded, and began. "I understand. But our company have no intention of using Syaoran for our study. We don't treat him as an object. You can have my word for it. And if you still doubt my intentions," He paused, and placed a palm over his heart. "You can shoot a bullet through me right at this moment."  
  
Kamui and Yuzuriha just stared for a moment. This man was determined to show them that his intention was pure. Nodding, Kamui went over to him and said. "We trust you. Just..." He rubbed his forehead. "Just get Syaoran back."  
  
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Fuma sat in his office patiently, flicking his lighter on and off. His office was grand but dark. He didn't bother to turn on the lights when he came in. The door hissed open, and a female secretary stepped in. "Sir, Mr. Kigai had brought back the specimen, and Ms. Yatouji is preparing for the surgery right now."  
  
Fuma's lips curved up, and said simply, "Good." He waved, dismissing her. Then he stood up and headed towards the laboratory.  
  
As he arrived at the door of the lab he punched in the passwords and gained access. The door slid open and inside was technicians and doctors working around an area sealed by a large round glass. Inside slept Syaoran lying on a round tube-like lever with his hands tied behind him. Wires were connected to parts of his body. Yatouji acknowledged Fuma's presence, and jogged over to greet him. "Good day sir." Fuma ignored her, and stepped up to touch the glass that stood between him and the boy. "How long will it take?"  
  
"Less than an hour. We'll have the chip remove in no time."  
  
"Good." Fuma said. He smiled again, this time even wider. He was getting close; he could feel it.  
  
101101110101111010100111  
  
Outside ACME where the helicopters landed, a little red light flashed on one of the choppers' tail.  
  
"We're picking up signals!" Ijyuin Akira said, Nokoru simply nodded. They were inside the Clamp Corp helicopters. The little light on the grid flashed, indicating the tracer's location. "Let's go!" Nokoru announced, and the propeller started spinning. Nokoru was about to take off when he heard someone calling him. "Wait!"  
  
He turned and saw Sakura came running towards him. She stopped at the door, and said. "I want to go too!"  
  
"It's too dangerous. You can't go." He declared.  
  
"Please!" She begged. "I want to see Syaoran! I want to know if he's alright."  
  
"We all do." Kamui added. Nokoru looked up and saw Kamui and Yuzuriha approaching. "Besides, we want to make sure you keep your promise."  
  
Nokoru smiled. "Very well, you can go to the chopper behind us." Sakura smiled, and headed towards the other chopper with Kamui and Yuzuriha. Nokoru sat back inside and announced. "All clear! Let's move out!"  
  
1010011010101010101001011  
  
Little machine arms shot out tiny beams of laser, cutting the wires that attached Syaoran and the chip. Fuma waited and waited. His heart pounded faster as time passed. Soon, soon his sister will be revived, all thanks to that little chip. Technology, it was an amazing thing.  
  
"Down to the final phase." Yatouji announced. She typed more codes into the computer. Fuma turned to her and asked. "What about Kotori? Is that team ready?"  
  
"Once the chip is taken out, the technicians can place it inside Kotori within minutes."  
  
Fuma nodded. He was getting close. So close. Just another minute or so before the chip is completely removed...  
  
A loud noise shook the building. Equipments moved back and forth. Fuma roared, "What now!" Now! Of all times! A guard came in and reported. "We're under attack! People from Clamp Corp are here! They're telling us to evacuate the building or they'll take further action!"  
  
Fuma swore under his breath. "Then fire back! Do anything to hold them off for ten minutes or so!" The guard nodded, and ran out. Fuma turned back to Yatouji and asked. "How is it?" Yatouji looked desperate. She tabbed the computer furiously, but the mechanic arms refused to respond. They were stopped completely. "The arms won't work. The last attack must have blown up the power supply of the arms!" She tabbed the screen.  
  
Another attack. Fuma was knocked down. Holding to a desk as a support, he stood up, and saw the lock that kept Syaoran's hands tied was loose. Fuma got up, took a chair, and broke the glass.  
  
"Sir!" Yatouji warned. "The power that kept him lock is out! He can wake any second! It's too dangerous to go in there!"  
  
"Shut up!" Fuma yelled back. He walked into the sealed area, and wrapped his fingers around the chip.  
  
"Sir! Polling that out by force might cause damage to the chip! Please wait till the backup power kicks back for the arms for further removal of the Soultech chip!"  
  
"There's no time!" He tugged the chip, but it wouldn't let go. He polled harder, and the wires were coming lose when suddenly, Syaoran's finger twitched. Fuma gasped as Syaoran's eyes snapped open. Syaoran looked directly into him and realized what his was doing. Fear rushed through him; if he lost the chip he might die. He reached out, and grabbed Fuma's collar. Fuma was even more terrified that he thought. He knew this boy could kill if he wanted to.  
  
Fuma yanked the chip hard, and the wires broke off.  
  
Error...  
  
Hardware missing...  
  
System shutting down...  
  
Syaoran saw the chip flew out of him, then his eyes turned lifeless; then they were closed. He hands released Fuma's collar, and dropped at his sides.  
  
Fuma breathed rapidly. He knew he was almost killed. Cold sweat ran by his forehead. He wiped it with his sleeves, and headed downstairs with the chip, leaving the lifeless boy in the room.  
  
1011101110100100010011101  
  
"Is this okay, Mr. Imonoyama? I mean the boy is still in there." Ijyuin Akira asked nervously as he aimed his gun at the front door of the ACME building. Imonoyama Nokoru nodded, and smiled. "It's okay. We're only attacking the outer barrier. They would never leave the child anywhere close to where we're hitting. He'll be deep inside the core of the building. Right now, we have to weaken their defence. Besides..."  
  
"Besides?" Akira's ear perked up. Nokoru shook his head. "Nah, it's nothing."  
  
Akira paused, hesitated, and then asked. "Mr. Imonoyama...did you...mean what you said back there?"  
  
"About not taking Syaoran?"  
  
Akira nodded.  
  
Nokoru sighed. "Akira...let me ask you, what's considered to be human?"  
  
Akira stared at his boss, obviously taken by his words. Nokoru continued. "What separates us from others? It is because we have thoughts and feelings? If so then that boy is no doubt a human." He shook his head lightly. "We have no right to call him an android or a machine. He has feelings and thoughts, just like you and me. Having mechanical parts doesn't change that."  
  
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then open them. "And that give him the right to be a human. Just to live as a human does with rights."  
  
"Mr. Imonoyama..." Akira said softly. He nodded, and then turned his attention back to the battlefield. "You're right! Then let's rescue that child!"  
  
1011101110100100010011101  
  
Fuma rode the elevator to the deepest floor. He stepped out, and the technicians were panicking. "What was that? Are you under attack?" Questions filled the air. But Fuma put up his hand, and calmly said. "Everything is under control, for now we need to work at Kotori, just as you were paid to. Now," He reached into his pocket and took out a chip. "Care to install this?"  
  
"The Soultech chip!" A scientist took it from him carefully as if it was a holy object. All the others huddled around to see a glimpse of a priceless chip that could give life.  
  
"Let's get to work!" Fuma ordered.  
  
They had everything set up; Kotori, now wearing a sky blue dress, was lying on a surgical stainless steel table inside a sealed room just like Syaoran's. One of the technicians stepped up to the control board, and started entering commands. They placed the chip in a machine arm, and it delivered it to Kotori's chest. The machine arms were busy fusing the chip to Kotori; they moved around like metal fairies in the dark.  
  
Suddenly, another explosion took place floors above. Some of the scientists were too frightened to stay. "That's it, I'm getting out of here!" They fled, and others followed. Fuma turned to them furiously and shouted. "You can't leave now! We're almost done!" He turned and saw the one who was operating the machine arms; he was the only one left, and was shaking. Fuma grabbed the man's collar, and hissed. "Finish the job, or you won't get out of here alive." He threw the man back on the chair and took out his handgun. "Do it!"  
  
The scientist was frightened, but he wanted to live. He obeyed reluctantly, regretting ever getting involved with this company. He tabbed the keys faster, and the machine arms were moving again. Another explosion took place, but he forced himself to ignore it and worked. Then, after what seemed like a year, the installation was finally complete and the job was done.  
  
"There! I'm out of here!" The scientist dashed out of the room and into the elevator. Fuma was too overwhelmed to even notice his disappearance. He looked softly at his sister, and touched the glass with his hand. "Kotori..." He walked to the side and opened the door. Stepping inside, he could almost hear it: her breath, she was breathing! She was alive! He walked up, and touched her face softly. "Finally, after all those years, we're finally going to meet you, my little sister."  
  
Suddenly, a major explosion occurred, and the ceiling collapsed. Fuma gasped, and threw himself over Kotori without a second thought. The concrete ceiling came trembling down, covering the two.  
  
Kotori's eyes flickered, and then they opened. Her vision was blurry at first, but as it adjusted, she could see a man in front of her. He was bleeding. Blood dropped down from his head onto her face, yet he was smiling, as if the wound didn't even exist. "Kotori..." He whispered.  
  
She sat up, and stared at the stranger. He moved back a little, and she could see gravel pieces sliding off his back. He was protecting her when the ceiling fell. "Kotori..." He repeated.  
  
Then it became his last word. He collapsed onto her lap. Her sky blue dress was stained with his blood, yet she could not help but stared. She suddenly felt warm, then sad. She wanted to cry, but didn't know why, so she held it back. She just stared, stared at the dead stranger.  
  
1010001010010100010111100  
  
"Fire!"  
  
The attack caused the chemical in the lab to spill, and cause a fire. It spread and now the whole building was on fire. People fled, giving up hope of resisting against the attackers. They dropped their weapons and headed outside. It was all over; they could do nothing to defend this company now.  
  
One person was different. As everyone was scrambling for the exit, he was running the opposite way. He uniform said ACME security, but his heart said different. He ran from room to room, checking for the sign of...someone.  
  
Then he found him. He was a mere child, lying calmly in a room despite the chaos that was taking place outside. The man walked in, and took him into his arms. He knew he was too late, but still...  
  
He heading outside with the boy in his arms and started looking for the closest exit. He ran down the long hallway, and headed towards the exit. But the fallen rubbles blocked it, so he was forced to take another way.  
  
When he ran, something caught his attention. A girl, in a bloody dress stepped out of a stairway. She looked too calm to be in a building that was whether going to burn to ashes or collapsed to pieces. She looked at the man like a confused and lost kitten. He walked up to her, and just looked at her. Then he remembered his situation, and asked. "Are...are you hurt?"  
  
The girl shook her head slowly. "This isn't my blood. They belong to someone else." She indicated the stain in her dress. Then she felt a pain in her heart deep, deep inside, yet it was faint. She barely paid attention to it.  
  
The ceiling started falling again, the man grabbed her hand, and headed towards the closest exit.  
  
101011011100110100011010  
  
"Syaoran!!" Sakura yelled. She looked helplessly at the burning building. "Syaoran, no!"  
  
Kamui and Kotori were beside her. They watched the building slowly collapsed, but could do nothing. Kamui turned to Nokoru and shouted. "Why did you attack the building knowing full well that he's in there? If anything happens to him..." he couldn't finish. Nokoru just watched calmly.  
  
Then out of the fire, a person stepped out, a person with a fire blanket. They looked closer, and realized it was actually two, no, three people under the same blanket. Nokoru smiled. A man stepped out of the blanket, with a child in his arms.  
  
"Syaoran!" Sakura and others ran forward. The man laid him on the ground as they huddled around him. Nokoru gave the man a pat on the back. "Nice work, Suoh. It was a good idea sending you into ACME as a spy. Mission accomplished?"  
  
Suoh's expression darkened, then said. "Mission failed." He briefly told him what happened. Nokoru looked at the child, and answered sadly. "I see."  
  
"Syaoran?" Sakura said. His eyes were closed and his body was cold. "Syaoran...?"  
  
"Syaoran!" Yuzuriha repeated. Nokoru stepped in, and said softly. "I'm...sorry. We were too late. They have taken out his chip." Yuzuriha and Kamui turned around, stunned by his words. "What...?" They turned back to Sakura. Her eyes were lifeless. "Can't...be." She could hardly speak. She reached out and held on to Syaoran tightly. "Syaoran...talk to me...say something!" She broke into a sob, and others' eyes were getting watery, too.  
  
Kamui stood up, and said to Nokoru. "But if we find the chip! He can be alive again, right?"  
  
Nokoru sighed. "Theoretically, yes. But we don't even know where the chip is. If we want to search the burnt building it'll take days, and I'm not sure Syaoran's body can withstand that long without the chip."  
  
"It can't be..." Kamui felt helpless.  
  
Just then, Nokoru noticed the lady in the fire-blanket. "Suoh, who's that lady?" Suoh stepped up and said. "A survivor, sir. I found her in the lab."  
  
Soft bare feet stepped on the ground. It barely made a noise, but Kamui heard it. He could feel it. Slowly, he turned around, both afraid and excited to find out what he might see.  
  
The fire blanket slipped off the girl's head, and onto the floor. "Kamui?"  
  
It was like music to his ears. He turned fully and saw the girl he had been seeing in his dreams and his dreams only for the past two years. "Kotori?"  
  
Yuzuriha gasped. She looked up, both hurt and glad to see her. "Kotori..."  
  
"Kamui!! She stepped up, and jumped into Kamui's arms. "It's so great to see you! I was afraid back there!" She stepped back and looked into the eyes of her lover. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."  
  
"Is that really you, Kotori?" Kamui said, wrapping his arms around her. He felt her body and smelled her hair. It was Kotori; he had no doubt about it. He embraced her, and suddenly he felt he was his whole self again, just as he was two years ago. Nothing else mattered as long as she was here.  
  
Yuzuriha didn't know what to feel at the moment. She was glad, more than glad that her friend was here. Yet, she also felt uneasy...what was this feeling...?  
  
Hatred? Jealousy?  
  
Nokoru looked at the crowd, and signed. Somehow, he figured out what happened to the chip. Suddenly, he felt sick about the dilemma he was going to face.  
  
1101001010110001010110111  
  
Restless and tire, the crowd gathered in the Clamp Corporation branch lab in Tokyo. Several top technologists in the nation analyzed Syaoran's body. They kept themselves busy as others observe from the window in the hallway. Nokoru looked at the report that Akira handed to him, and explained. "They've already finished analysing Syaoran's body, they're just finding out a way to wake him now." He looked at his side. Sakura watched lifelessly through the window as Yuzuriha stood beside her with concern. Once in a while, Yuzuriha glanced at her side at Kotori and Kamui who stood side by side, hand in hand.  
  
After they found out what Fuma had done to Syaoran, the chip and Kotori, they felt uncertain. They were given two choices: Kotori or Syaoran. Kamui never thought Fuma's words would come true; it sickened him to know that he had to choose between the two.  
  
They still hadn't told Kotori the details, about her death and her revival. Yet they told her about ACME, Fuma and how they related to her. She didn't show much interest in most of the parts. Her face didn't carry much expression; she was lost in thoughts most of the time.  
  
Nokoru continued. "But so far, they aren't able to think of another way besides than the Soultech chip. And the chip..." He snuck a glance at Kotori; Kamui caught his look, and took Kotori by the hand. "Why don't we go out to get some drink?" Kotori knew they were going to talk about her when she was gone, but she followed him anyway.  
  
Nokoru sighed. Yuzuriha asked. "Is there really no other way?"  
  
"No with the results we have so far. It seemed that the only way to wake him is with the chip."  
  
"But the chip is..."  
  
"Inside Kotori, I know." Nokoru rubbed his forehead. "That's the hard part. We'd have to sacrifice one or another."  
  
Akira asked. "Why couldn't Kotori give back his chip? I mean it's his to begin with."  
  
"Think of it from Kotori's side, Akira." Nokoru said. "You're telling Kotori to give up her life. By law, nobody can take it away from her. If we do, we would be killing another human being."  
  
They fell silent. There was no easy way out of this.  
  
1001000101101011101010110  
  
Kamui pushed the "Pepsi" button on the vending machine and the can came down. He turned around and saw Kotori staring out the window. He walked up to her, and handed her the drink. She took it silently, and looked out again. "It's...cherry blossom's blooming season." Kamui looked outside at the pick filled garden they had in the lab, and nodded. "You're right."  
  
Kotori turned to him, and took his hand. "Let's go outside."  
  
She stepped into the garden, and opened her hands to catch the pedals. Kamui followed behind her, his mind hanging over the thought of deciding between Syaoran and Kotori. Kotori suddenly spoke. "You know, I heard if you catch a cherry blossom pedal before it lands, you'll live happily ever after." She reached out, but the pedals flew by and landed. "I can't catch them, you see. Because I can't have live happily anymore."  
  
Kamui turned to her sharply. He paused, and then chuckled as if it was a joke. "What do you mean, you still get years of happiness ahead of you."  
  
"Kamui," Kotori turned around. "I don't belong here, do I?"  
  
Kamui felt his hands turning cold. He suddenly didn't know what to say. "I...I don't know what you mean..."  
  
"Kamui." Kotori interrupted him. "I am here because of that boy, isn't it? He gave me my life, didn't he?"  
  
Kamui froze; he felt like he couldn't breath.  
  
Kotori looked at him softly, and said quietly. "Tell me what he was like."  
  
Kamui looked at her, hesitated, and then began. "Syaoran.that's his name. He...he is a very kind person. He would never get anyone else involve into his business, knowing that it would be dangerous to him or her. He's very stubborn...like me. Despite that, he always keeps his feelings deep inside, never wants to open up to people." He paused. "Till he met us."  
  
He waited before he continued. "Sakura and him...fell in love. But moments later he confessed to her...he gave himself up to the ACME to protect us..." Tears rolled down his face. "He's a very good boy." He said huskily, and covered his eyes with his hand.  
  
Kotori reached up, and held him tight. "I don't belong here, Kamui."  
  
"Kotori..." Kamui sobbed. "I don't want to choose...I can never choose between you and Syaoran..."  
  
"But it isn't your choice." Kotori said. "It is mine. You're not the one that is choosing. It won't be your fault."  
  
"But Kotori..." Kotori put her finger on his lip before he could go on. She whispered. "Kamui, I can never live a happy life knowing I'm living off someone else's happiness." She looked up. "I need to go back...besides, they're calling me."  
  
She closed her eyes, and listened. She could hear the hymns of the angel far above, and she could feel the light surrounding her, summoning her. She opened her eyes, and brushed the tears from Kamui's eyes. "I'll be fine, and you will be, too."  
  
Kamui felt calmer now; somehow he knew he could let go this time. Kotori smiled, and said. "Stop clinging on to the past. Focus on the future...and the living." She glanced at the door, and Kamui followed her sight. There stood Yuzuriha, looking out at them.  
  
"Go, Kamui." Kotori said. "Your life had just started."  
  
"And so has Syaoran's." She added.  
  
1011010100010101101110101  
  
It was a beautiful say with the sun high above. A boy in black suit walked through a pick land decorated in blooming cherry blossoms. A puppy followed closely behind, jogging happily at the side of his owner. They stopped in front of a grave, and the boy knelt down. The puppy took the chance to jump up to the boy's lap and the boy scratched it behind its ears.  
  
"We've finally buried you properly, dad." The boy said. "You won't be lonely, Kotori is just right around the corner." He touched his chest. "She's a great girl...she gave me back my life."  
  
Li Syaoran stood up, and looked down on his father's grave. Inuki looked up at its owner and wagged its tail. After the ACME Company had crumbled and fell, it didn't take long before the Clamp Corporation found Dr. Li's body. With Fuma gone, ACME was no more.  
  
"Syaoran!" A girl in black dress yelled. Syaoran turned around, and smiled. He turned back to the grave, and said. "Here comes Sakura, you really should meet her."  
  
Sakura ran up to him, and clang on to his arm. "What are you doing?" He put his arm around her, and said. "Introducing my future wife to my father." Sakura blushed, and elbowed him. "Don't joke with me."  
  
Kamui and Yuzuriha stood from a distance, watching the two children playing and laughing. Yuzuriha sighed. "It's finally backed to normal again." Then she looked at Kamui. "Well, not quite." She turned and faced him. "Are you sure you can take care of Syaoran? I mean adopting a little brother is not as easy as you think." She made a face. "You did freak out when he had a puny fever."  
  
"Hey, don't pick on that." Kamui blushed. "Besides, it won't be like me taking care of him. We'll be taking care of each other."  
  
"So in other words, you're depending on a little kid."  
  
"Hey!" Kamui yelled; Yuzuriha ran off laughing. She circled around, and faced him. Kamui looked at her smiling face, and thought of Kotori's words. Yuzuriha, she was his future, there was no doubt about it.  
  
"What about financial problem? You're supporting another person now after all." Yuzuriha said, jogging back. Kamui reached into his blazer pocket, and took out an envelope. "Well, I did receive some charity from Clamp Corp. That can support us for a while. Also, since Fuma died, everything he owned was left to Kotori. After she gave up her chip and pronounced dead, she left everything to me."  
  
Yuzuriha gasped. "So you now own the global company ACME!?"  
  
"Whoa, don't get so excited." Kamui put up his hands. "ACME crashed, remember? After paying for all the debts and legal fees, Kotori said only about one percent is left, so it's really nothing to get excited about."  
  
"Really..." Yuzuriha sighed. Kamui smiled, "Sorry to burst your bubble." He turned around, and opened his envelope. There were two pieces of paper; one was a note from Kotori:  
  
Believe in your future  
  
Kamui smiled, and carefully put the note back inside. As he started to unfold the cheque, Yuzuriha suddenly said. "Ah, Kamui?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"ACME was a multibillion corporation."  
  
"So?" He continued to unfold the cheque.  
  
"So one percent of a multibillion would be..."  
  
Kamui looked at the figure, and his jaw dropped.  
  
"A lot." Yuzuriha finally finished.  
  
Sitting beside the grave in each other's arms, Sakura and Syaoran suddenly heard a loud scream from Kamui, "HOLY CRAP!!"  
  
Sakura turned around, and said. "What was that?" Syaoran shook his head. "Don't know."  
  
He wrapped his arms around Sakura, and looked up at the blue sky. Suddenly, his future seemed a lot brighter.  
  
~ End ~ 


End file.
